Former “Dancing with the Stars” winner Alfonso Ribeiro is going back to the show but in a different capacity.
On Thursday, “Good Morning America” shared that Ribeiro, who portrayed Carlton Banks on the original “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” is serving as co-host on the competition series alongside Tyra Banks. “Dancing With The Stars” is in its 31st season and will debut on Disney+ this fall.
In a statement, Ribeiro shared his excitement about returning: “’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 co-host.”
Banks, known for her iconic television show America’s Next Top Model, shared: “I’ve known Alfonso since I was 19 years old and he always puts a smile on my face whenever I see him. Having such a fun-loving, longtime friend as co-host warms my heart. Bantering back and forth with him live is going to be so much fun!”
She made an appearance on “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” in 1993 as character Jackie Aimes. Ribeiro won “Dancing With The Stars” during season 19 with partner Witney Carson. Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough will all return as judges for season 31 as well.
Banks has faced backlash during her tenure as host on the show, with fans forming a petition for her removal. From cringeworthy fashion moments to mistakenly saying certain competitors were safe from elimination when they weren’t, the model caused quite the stir.
Former “Dancing With The Stars” host Brooke Burke also said Banks was a bit much on the Behind The Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast.:
“You know, she’s a diva. Everybody knows that she’s a diva. There’s nothing wrong with that. And I’m not, I’m not saying anything bad about her. Be a diva. It’s not the place to be a diva.”