Returning to the ballroom! After news broke that Alfonso Ribeiro is slated to cohost Dancing With the Stars alongside Tyra Banks, the show’s pro dancers have opened up about his return to the dance floor.
“Can’t think of a more perfect fit to host @dancingwiththestars than my brother/uncle (I say uncle because he’s twice my age 
) @therealalfonsoribeiro 
how grateful I am to have your friendship all these years and to have these monumental memories together,” Witney Carson — who won season 19 alongside the 50-year-old Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum — wrote via Instagram on Thursday, July 15. “I was just a baby, at 18 years old when I got you as a partner and you made my dreams reality! I cannot wait to hopefully be on that stage with you once again, and watch you light it up
.”
Cheryl Burke, for her part, also gushed over Ribeiro’s new role. “Even though you clearly could be one of the pros, co-hosting seems to be a perfect fit for you as well,” she wrote via Instagram on Thursday. “Beyond excited and see you in the ballroom soon my friend!”
DWTS — which is switching from ABC to Disney+ for the forthcoming season 31 — announced its hosting news hours earlier on Thursday.
“Dancing with the Stars has been such an important part of my life for so many years, and I am ecstatic to officially re-join this tight-knit family as cohost,” Ribeiro said in a press release at the time. “Tyra and I have a longstanding friendship that I hope will resonate with all of the fans at home as we kick off this new season on Disney+.”
The America’s Funniest Home Videos host will join the 48-year-old supermodel to emcee the dance competition.
“So excited to finally reveal this! I’m reuniting with a very special someone I worked with when I was just 19 years old,” Banks gushed via Instagram at the time, referring to her Fresh Prince cameo in 1993. “I can’t wait to stream live & have crazy fun w/ him!
”
Banks previously joined the competition show in 2020 after longtime hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews were let go. Carson, for her part, told Us Weekly at the time that she was “initially very shocked” to learn that the America’s Next Top Model creator landed the gig because she had her former partner in mind.
“I texted Alfonso and I’m like, ‘You’re the new host, aren’t you? Tell me!’” the Utah native, 28, told Us in August 2020. “And he’s like, ‘It’s not me.’ So I definitely thought [of] Alfonso, for sure. Just because he’s so involved. He loves the show. He is so knowledgeable in dance, and in judging and hosting. So I just thought he’d be a perfect fit.”
Scroll below for the DWTS cast’s thoughts on Ribeiro cohosting the live broadcasts:
The two-time mirrorball champ shared her congratulations for the actor via Instagram, noting that his “love for the show especially for the pro dancers is undeniable and infectious.” Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE/Shutterstock
“I could not be more thrilled,” Carson gushed via her Instagram Story on Thursday. “I couldn’t be more excited to have him back in the ballroom once again. He just embodies what this show is about and so I think it’s going to be a really new, good light to have for the show.” Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The Ukraine native, who’s played coy about returning to the show for season 31, also applauded Ribeiro’s casting. “Proud of my man Al! If you know anything about this multitalented man is that besides literally being a semi-pro golfer, race car driver and iconic actor, performer and amazing father … AL LOVES DANCE! Especially @dancingwiththestars,” Chmerkovskiy wrote via his Story. “His heart will truly be felt throughout the season. Excited for you brother @therealalfonsoribeiro no better man for the job!” Broadimage/Shutterstock
“This is so freaking amazing,” Burgess, who welcomed her first child with boyfriend Brian Austin Green last month, gushed via her Story. “@therealalfonsoribeiro I am so excited you’re with us this season.” Annie Lesser/imageSPACE/Shutterstock
The So You Think You Can Dance alum proclaimed via Instagram that Ribeiro’s addition to the show was “huge” and that he “cannot wait for this new season.” Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
The season 30 champ, who won alongside Iman Shumpert, celebrated the news with a pair of clapping emojis via Instagram comment. CraSH/imageSPACE/Shutterstock
“Yes 🙌🏼,” Chigvintsev, who shares son Matteo with fiancée Nikki Bella, replied via Instagram comment. Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Johnson, who announced in July she is expecting her first child with Chmerkovskiy, replied via Instagram: “YESSSSS!!!! @therealalfonsoribeiro so excited to have you BACK in the ballroom!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️” Todd Williamson/January Images/Shutterstock
"This is epic brother soooo happy for you,” Farber, who married Emma Slater in March 2018, wrote. Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The Strictly Come Dancing alum added: “That’s amazing so so excited ❤️❤️❤️❤️.” NINA PROMMER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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