Alfonso Ribiero makes a comeback at the “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom, but this time as Tyra Bank’s co-host.
ABC announced the news Thursday ahead of its Season 31 premiere on Disney+ this fall.
“I’m super excited,” Ribiero told People. “It’s very special to me now to be asked to host with Tyra and be part of the amazing crew and dancers and friends… to be able to be on stage with them and be a part of again that family.
“I mean, these dancers are friends of mine right now. We really all hang out together and talk outside of that show.”
The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alum — who won his own mirror ball trophy in 2014 while collaborating with professional dancer Witney Carson — said his main goal as a co-host is to “entertain people week after week and let people really enjoy themselves.” fall in love with these dancers and the professionals and the celebrity, the contestants.”
“Hopefully my chance will be to give them the chance to shine, to show America who they are, what they are good at, their personality,” he added. “Hopefully the dances match that.”
As for the participants? The former host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” plans to build a friendship and bond with them.
“After their dance, I want to get honest and true feelings from them and make people laugh and make people laugh again,” he explained. “I feel like it gets a little serious sometimes, and while it should be, it should also be light and fun and upbeat.”
Ribiero — who has known Banks since high school and worked with her on “Fresh Prince” — may have hinted at the criticism the former 48-year-old host of “America’s Next Top Model” has received from both the public and past contestants.
However, the actor shared, “I think it will be fun for us to work together again and bring out the fun and have fun on that stage.”
Banks has hosted “DWTS” for the past two seasons after replacing longtime presenters Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews.
Many viewers at home have been dissatisfied with the switch, and former contestants have even spoken out against Banks.
In April, former co-host Brooke Burke revealed she doesn’t think the model is a good match for the role.
Burke, 50, even described Banks as “like a diva”, adding on an episode of David Yontef’s podcast “Behind the Velvet Rope”: “There’s nothing wrong with that, and I’m not saying anything bad about her — be a diva !
“To be [just] not the place to be a diva.”
“DWTS” hasn’t set a premiere date yet.