Tyra Banks Teases Derek Hough’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Return — Will It Be As A Judge Or A Pro?

Fans are gearing up for the season 29 premiere of Dancing With The Stars which just announced it’s shocking cast. There are going to be several changes made to this season due to precautions taken amid the coronavirus pandemic. One of them is the presence of head judge Len Goodman who is stuck in the UK right now due to travel restrictions. But, Tyra Banks may have just revealed who will take his place. Scroll for an update!

Will The ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Judging Panel Have Derek Hough On It?

Tyra sat down with Entertainment Tonight to talk about her new hosting duties on Dancing With The Stars. It will be her first time hosting the show after longtime host Tom Bergeron and co-host Erin Andrews were ousted from the show. She gave some scoop on the judging panel this season and what to expect with the show’s new format. “Carrie Ann is definitely back, and Bruno, who I can’t wait to vibe with because he is just as crazy as I am,” she said. “At the moment, we’re trying to figure out how to incorporate Len Goodman because he is in England and there’s all these travel restrictions because of COVID-19. So we’re trying to figure that out.” It definitely seems like Len might not physically be in the ballroom when the live shows kick-off. But, longtime fan-favorite Derek Hough might be taking his place.

SEE ALSO: IS TOM BERGERON’S NEW TWITTER BIO A DIG AT ‘DANCING WITH THE STARS’?

“Yeah, Derek is coming back in a very interesting way,” Tyra said. “I am very excited about that because I know Derek and he’s fun. But you just gonna have to wait and see how he’s coming back. You’ll know next week!” While she didn’t exactly reveal what role Derek will play on the show, she did confirm he would be returning. An official announcement will be made on Tuesday, September 8. The World Of Dance judge has not competed as a pro on the show since season 23 which makes people think he will have a larger role on the show. “To be honest, Tyra Banks, I actually… I think she’s fantastic. I thought she was a fantastic host on America’s Got Talent” Derek previously said after news broke about the hosting switch-up. “I thought she did an amazing job. So, I feel optimistic for that switch-up.”

Fans Cannot Wait For Derek’s ‘DWTS’ Return

After teasing Derek’s return, his fans took to Twitter to express their excitement. “They said we gonna lose ratings without Tom, so they brought back the king of the ballroom!” said one fan on Twitter. “You got that right! I love them all but Derek’s my favorite!” another replied. Some think it’s a way to ease the sadness that many are still feeling from Tom’s departure.

“SHUT UP DEREK HOUGH IS COMING BACK TO DWTS IDC ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE” said another fan.

“DEREK HOUGH BACK ON DWTS THIS IS ALL I’VE EVER WANTED” tweeted a fan.

SEE ALSO: SEASON 29 ‘DANCING WITH THE STARS’ CAST REVEAL IS THE MOST SHOCKING ONE YET

While we don’t know exactly what role Derek will play on the show, we are all super excited to see his return to the ballroom.

UPDATE: It is confirmed that Derek will be taking Len Goodman’s spot on the judging panel for season 29. ABC put out a statement saying “In light of current circumstances,” head judge Len Goodman “will be unable to judge this season live in the ballroom, though he will still be a part of the show in a different capacity sharing his ballroom expertise from London.”