Dancing with the Stars is turning 20! The competition show will honor 20 years on air with a special anniversary episode on Tuesday, November 11. Former winners and pros will return to the dance floor to celebrate the milestone with the Season 34 cast. But that’s not all. Former host Tom Bergeron will also return as a guest judge for the special episode. Curious to know more about the star-studded event? We got you. Here’s what you need to know.
Who is returning for the Dancing with the Stars 20th anniversary special?
The six former winners returning to the DWTS stage on November 11 are…
- Apolo Anton Ohno
- Joey Graziadei
- Kaitlyn Bristowe
- Rashad Jennings
- Rumer Willis
- Xochtl Gomez
The stars will assist members of the Season 34 cast in the dance relay, a mini competition that helps the current contestants earn bonus points for the week. The pairings are as follows…
- Alix Earle & Joey Graziadei (Season 33 winner)
- Andy Richter & Kaitlyn Bristowe (Season 29 winner)
- Robert Irwin & Xochitl Gomez (Season 32 winner)
- Elaine Hendrix & Rashad Jennings (Season 24 winner)
- Jordan Chiles & Apolo Anton Ohno (Season 4 winner)
- Dylan Efron & Rumer Willis (Season 20 winner)
Did Rumer Willis win Dancing with the Stars?
Fans were thrilled to hear fan favorite Rumer Willis will be returning to the dance floor. Rumer took home the Mirrorball trophy in Season 20 with partner Valentin “Val” Chmerkovskiy. She will be teaming up with Dylan Efron for the special event.
Why was Tom Bergeron fired from DWTS?
Tom left the show in 2020 following the show’s controversial decision to cast Donald Trump’s former Press Secretary Sean Spicer in Season 28. During an appearance on DWTS alum Cheryl Burke’s podcast, Sex, Lies and Spray Tans, Tom revealed he urged the former showrunner to reconsider the casting choice.
“Well, look, 2019 is the threshold to an election year in America, we are a very divided country. Just nobody, of any party, don’t go there—just make us the wonderful escape from all that divisiveness for two hours a week,” he said.
“And then a few weeks later, I get a phone call,” he continued. “And they run down the list of who is going to be on the show, and this former showrunner says to me, ‘You might want to sit down for this last one.’ And then they told me who it was, the former press guy for Trump. I said, ‘Guys, this is exactly what we said we wouldn’t do. Don’t go there. This is not the right time, play to our strengths, be the show that gives people a break from all this bullsh*t.'”
Tom left the show the following season and has been open about disliking the program’s former showrunner.
Dancing with the Stars is available to stream on Disney+
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