Tyra Banks Says She’s Leaving ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Ballroom For ‘The Boardroom’

“Dancing With the Stars” host Tyra Banks says she’s ready to leave to glam-filled competition behind her.

Just three seasons after the model and television presenter replaced founding host Tom Bergeron on the long-running reality TV series, Banks has revealed that she wants to trade the ballroom for “the boardroom, baby!”

That makes her the latest in a long line of familiar faces to waltz away from the show.

“I feel it’s time for me to really focus on my business and my entrepreneurship, and also producing more TV but behind the scenes,” the 49-year-old told TMZ Friday, March 17. “You know what? I think it’s time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor.”

When asked to clarify if she was serious about stepping away from the dance floor, Banks appeared to give it some thought before adding, “I think it’s time. Don’t you think it’s time?”

She went on to explain that as an “entrepreneur at heart,” she can’t give her all to her other ventures while still handing out mirror ball trophies to the top-ranked celebrity hoofers each season.

“You’ll see me creating things but not just hosting things,” she added.

The former host and creator of “America’s Next Top Model” has a hand in several businesses beyond the ballroom over the years — from Tyra Beauty, a now defunct cosmetics company that recruited “beautytainers” to move product, to her recently rebooted ice cream endeavor, SMiZE & Dream, a sweet-treat biz loftily billed as “the dream-fulfilling company where entertainment and ice cream collide on a global scale.”

And it’s presumably the latter, which she also spoke to TMZ about, as well as her multiple television production projects, that’s drawing her attention away from “Dancing With the Stars.”

But then again, there’s been rumors about Banks possibly leaving the ballroom since shortly after she entered it, and her business plans had nothing to do with that buzz. Banks faced a lackluster reception right away from outspoken viewers who preferred the shows original formula and original host.

On top of that, the series’ already-plummeting ratings, which peaked with an average of nearly 21 million total viewers in 2010, sunk to 6.19 million during Banks’ first season in 2020.

That all-time ratings low is believed to be what prompted the show’s move from Disney Entertainment’s flagship network, ABC, to its streaming network, Disney Plus.

Now, as Banks exits the glitzy series, the question is, who’ll replace her as the head emcee?

While Disney Plus has yet to be release an official statement regarding casting for season 32, there’s one obvious option — Banks’ co-host and season 19 champ Alfonso Ribeiro could always quickstep from second in command to owning the spotlight on his own.

However, following the buzz about Banks, fans of the ballroom bash have taken to social media to make a suggestion of their own. Since Banks has been a polarizing figure on the series ever since she stepped into Tom Bergeron’s “Dancing” shoes, why not just bring back the popular host who oversaw the dance floor action for 28 seasons?

“About damn time!!!” one fan tweeted about the Banks news. “The ONLY acceptable person to take over is Tom Bergeron!! #bringbacktom”

It was a sentiment repeated again and again from fellow fans, some of whom claimed to have stopped watching the ballroom bash after Bergeron, and his former co-host Erin Andrews, got the boot in 2020.

Of course, the lead hosting position isn’t the only open spot on “DWTS.”

Head judge Len Goodman announced his retirement from the series at the end of season 31, just as longtime pro dancer and two-time champ Cheryl Burke delivered her last dance. And last season’s winning pro, Mark Ballas, recently revealed his “Dancing With the Stars” days are over, too.