The Real Reason Tyra Banks Is Stepping Down as Host Of ‘Dancing With the Stars’

After three seasons of hosting Dancing With the Stars, Tyra Banks is exiting her post to focus on her business and entrepreneurial efforts.

The famed supermodel and television personality is ready to put her focus on her ice cream company SMiZE & Dream, TMZ reported. “I feel it’s time for me to really focus on my business and entrepreneurship, but also producing more TV but behind the scenes,” she said Friday.

“So, you know what? I think it’s time to graduate from the dance floor to the stock market floor.”

Banks has hosted DWTS since 2020; past winner Alfonso Ribeiro joined her in 2022. She has stayed true to her brand by modeling a number of designer looks on the show.

But the America’s Next Top Model creator has other passion projects that need her attention.

“I think my heart, my soul is into my business, it’s also into producing new TV,” Banks explained.

“I really, really wanna focus on my business and you can’t do that hosting a show, so you’ll see me creating things, not just hosting.”

The Life Size star felt comfortable hosting DWTS after spearheading her model competition reality show for two decades.

“A lot of the things I see Dancing With the Stars‘ judges saying to the stars are very similar to what Top Model judges say to the models in the making,” she told E! News in September 2020.

“It’s about presence, it’s about commitment, it’s about pushing all the way through. It’s about modeling or dancing from head to toe, from fingertips to toes.”

Her time on the show was initially met with criticism from viewers who felt the supermodel wasn’t the right fit for the job. She responded to the backlash at the time on TikTok by sharing her mantra: “Forgive yourself when you mess up and keep going.”