“Dancing With the Stars” is not like any other reality show. It’s real.
That’s the message winner-turned-host Alfonso Ribeiro sends when discussing the competition series.
“We’re creating a safe space — a space where we’re allowing our celebrities to share their true heart,” says Ribeiro, who has been at the helm of the show since 2022 in Season 31. “We all watch reality shows, and we know it’s not reality. We know it’s scripted. We let [“DWTS”] happen live so it can’t be manipulated. Part of the job that I feel is important is I make sure that whenever the celebrities and the pros come over to me after their routine, I am giving them a space to open their heart and to showcase what they’re feeling at that moment.”
Ribeiro first appeared as a contestant on Season 19 in 2014, ultimately taking home the Mirrorball with partner Witney Carson. (She won again this year, with Robert Irwin as her partner.)
After 12 years, Ribeiro has no desire to compete again. “That would mean someone else would have to be the host, and I kind of like the job,” he says. “I enjoy dancing every once in a while, like during the opening numbers or a number here and there with [co-host] Julianne Hough. I like it that way.”
