Time for 'DWTS' to Look in the Mirror(ball) Over Ratings Declines

DWTS Dancing With the Stars TOM BERGERON ERIN ANDREWS

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Time for ‘Dancing With the Stars’ to Look in the Mirror(ball) Over Ratings Decline

by Tony Maglio and Jennifer Maas | July 14, 2020 @ 5:42 PM

On Monday, hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews split with the ABC series, which is going in “a new creative direction”

ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” waved goodbye to hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews on Monday. That’s nothing compared to the number of viewers “DWTS” has bid farewell to over its remarkable run of 28 seasons — and counting.

When the dancing competition premiered in the summer of 2005, it averaged a massive 5.1 rating in the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic and 16.799 million total viewers, according to Live + 7 Day Nielsen data. In comparison, last fall’s Season 28 averaged a 1.1 rating with 7.998 million total viewers.

Fans didn’t know it at the time, but that cycle was the final one hosted by Bergeron and Andrews.

Also Read: Tom Bergeron, Erin Andrews Out as Hosts of 'Dancing With the Stars'

“Just informed [‘Dancing With the Stars’] will be continuing without me,” Bergeron tweeted on Monday. “It’s been an incredible 15 year run and the most unexpected gift of my career. I’m grateful for that and for the lifelong friendships made. That said, now what am I supposed to do with all of these glitter masks?”

“Tom Bergeron will forever be part of the Dancing with the Stars family,” ABC and BBC Studios said afterward in a joint statement. “As we embark on a new creative direction, he departs the show with our sincerest thanks and gratitude for his trademark wit and charm that helped make this show a success. Erin will also not be returning, and we appreciate all that she brought to the ballroom. Fans have been rooting for her since she originally competed as a contestant back in 2010, and her signature sense of humor has become a hallmark of the show.”

Bergeron had been with the show since it premiered, while Andrews, a former “Star,” came in as his co-host in Season 18. With both of them now out and no new replacement hosts named yet, it’s hard to say what this “new creative direction” will be — or if it will help turn around the show’s downward direction in Nielsen numbers.

Also Read: Ratings: 'Dancing With the Stars' Settles for Its Smallest-Ever TV Audience for a Finale

The “Dancing With the Stars” heyday, from a ratings standpoint, came way back in the third season, when the series averaged a whopping 5.4 rating among adults 18-49. From there, the series dipped to a 5.0 rating the following season but rose to a 5.2 for Season 5, which happened to be the show’s most-watched year, averaging a massive 20.604 million total viewers.

It was the second — and final — time the series averaged more than 20 million viewers per week. To be clear, we’re not suggesting “Dancing With the Stars” should be posting the same numbers it did a decade ago — when streaming platforms didn’t distract from television — but the Mirrorball Trophy could use a little polish.

Once a phenomenon, “DWTS” is barely a Top 40 broadcast series these days in terms of total viewers. In the demo, “Dancing” doesn’t waltz into the Top 60.

Also Read: 'Dancing With the Stars': And the Season 28 Winner Is...

Below, you’ll find the average rating and total-viewer tally for each season of “Dancing With the Stars.” The numbers include all original episodes and specials that aired during that cycle and are inclusive of one week of DVR viewing.

Season 1 (Summer 2005): 5.1 rating/16.799 million total viewers
Season 2: 5.0 rating/18.239 million total viewers
Season 3: 5.4 rating/20.044 million total viewers
Season 4: 5.0 rating/18.542 million total viewers
Season 5: 5.2 rating/20.604 million total viewers
Season 6: 4.5 rating/18.513 million total viewers
Season 7: 4.2 rating/18.102 million total viewers
Season 8: 4.5 rating/18.814 million total viewers
Season 9: 3.8 rating/17.370 million total viewers
Season 10: 4.4 rating/19.116 million total viewers
Season 11: 4.3 rating/20.114 million total viewers
Season 12: 4.3 rating/19.995 million total viewers
Season 13: 3.4 rating/17.171 million total viewers
Season 14: 3.1 rating/16.826 million total viewers
Season 15: 2.5 rating/14.123 million total viewers
Season 16: 2.6 rating/14.698 million total viewers
Season 17: 2.6 rating/15.139 million total viewers
Season 18: 2.6 rating/15.573 million total viewers
Season 19: 2.5 rating/14.607 million total viewers
Season 20: 2.4 rating/14.405 million total viewers
Season 21: 2.2 rating/13.309 million total viewers
Season 22: 2.1 rating/13.345 million total viewers
Season 23: 2.0 rating/12.163 million total viewers
Season 24: 2.0 rating/12.157 million total viewers
Season 25: 1.7 rating/11.017 million total viewers
Season 26: 1.3 rating/9.434 million total viewers
Season 27: 1.2 rating/8.513 million total viewers
Season 28: 1.1 rating/7.998 million total viewers

Also Read: 'Celebrity Family Feud' and Bruce Smith's Crazy 'Penis' Answer Top Sunday in TV Ratings

On Tuesday, the “GMA” Twitter handle teased “an exclusive announcement about the new season” on Wednesday’s “Good Morning America” episode.

We expect to find out the reality show’s “new creative direction” — and new host(s) — then.

TOMORROW ON @GMA: @DancingABC is back! And we'll have an exclusive announcement about the new season ONLY on GMA! #DancingOnGMA pic.twitter.com/2tCN3qCmao

— Good Morning America (@GMA) July 14, 2020

'Dancing With the Stars' Career Bump: 12 Contestants Who Got Biggest Boost (Photos)

ABC
Kim Kardashian

When Kim Kardashian was on Season 7 of "Dancing With the Stars," "Keeping up With the Kardashians" was just a year old, but it went on to become one of the most successful franchises in reality TV history.
ABC
Mark Cuban

After his stint on Season 5 of "Dancing With the Stars," Cuban went from regular billionaire to famous billionaire when he became one of the investors on ABC's hit "Shark Tank."
ABC
Julianne Hough/Derek Hough

"Dancing With the Stars'" most successful alums weren't even stars before they were on the show. Brother-sister duo Derek and Julianne Hough entered the show as professional dancers, but have since branched out into their own acting careers. Julianne also took on the role of judge on the show beginning with Season 19.
ABC
Brooke Burke-Charvet

Brooke Burke-Charvet won the seventh season of ABC's reality competition series in 2008 then parlayed that success into a nine-season run as co-host of the show.
ABC
Erin Andrews

Like Burke-Chavert before her, Andrews went from "DWTS" alum to co-host when she assumed the role for Season 18. Andrews also assumed several new roles as a sportscaster for Fox Sports.
ABC
Lisa Rinna

Daytime soap vet Lisa Rinna competed in the second season of "DWTS," finishing in fourth place. Since then, she's gone on to a fruitful reality TV career, including her role as one of the regulars on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."
ABC
Jennie Garth

"Beverly Hills, 90210" star Jennie Garth finished in fourth place on Season 5 of "DWTS," then went on to star in the CW's "90210" revival the following year.
ABC
Candace Cameron Bure

"Full House" star took home the bronze in Season 18, then wrote a book about the experience, called "Dancing Through Life." She also serves as a host on the ABC daytime talk show "The View" and will star in the Netflix sequel series "Fuller House."
ABC
Melissa Joan Hart

In 2009, Melissa Joan Hart competed on Season 9 of "Dancing With the Stars," and in 2010 she made her return to TV in ABC Family's "Melissa and Joey" alongside Joey Lawrence (who also competed in Season 3).
ABC
Kellie Pickler

"American Idol" vet Kellie Pickler put her reality TV experience to use on Season 16, this time walking away a winner. In 2015, Pickler and her husband Kyle Jacobs scored a CMT reality series called "I Love Kellie Pickler."
ABC
Alfonso Ribeiro

"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" alum Alfonso Ribeiro won Season 19 of "Dancing With the Stars," then went on to take over for Tom Bergeron as host of "America's Funniest Home Videos" in 2015.
ABC
Bobby Bones

The country-music radio host won Season 27 in fall 2018 despite landing the second lowest scores in the final 4 with partner Sharna Burgess -- and then parlayed that appearance into a full-time mentor role on ABC's "American Idol" reboot. He even subbed in as host in April 2019 when Ryan Seacrest was too sick to tape the live show.