"Dancing with the Stars" Announces Alfonso Ribeiro as New Co-Host

Dancing With The Stars: Live!

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We imagine we'll be seeing the Carlton dance move on the ballroom floor a lot more this year because it has been announced that Alfonso Ribeiro is returning to Dancing with the Stars as a co-host with Tyra Banks this season!

"I'm super excited," Ribeiro told PEOPLE. "For me to be asked now to co-host with Tyra, and be part of the great crew and dancers and friends ... to be able to be on stage with them and to be part of that family again, is quite special for me. I mean, these dancers are friends of mine at this point now. We really do all hang out together, and talk outside of that show."

To make this even more of a family affair, this gig will be a reunion between he and Banks on camera together! The shared the screen on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air together in '90s. Ribeiro, who played cousin Carlton, was a series regular and Banks appeared during season 4 as Jackie Ames, a friend and ex-girlfriend of Will Smith.

"We've known each other since junior high school!" he said of his friendship with Banks. "We go back a long ways and her first acting job was Fresh Prince. I think it's going to be nice for us to work together again, and to bring the fun out and have some fun on that stage. Smile and laughter, and enjoyment for everyone."

Ribeiro took home the Mirrorball Trophy back in 2014 with partner Witney Carson.

"My goal is to bring back a sense of the happy and the fun, and the family atmosphere, that this show has always felt like for me," he added. "I want to become friends with all of the contestants this year, and allow myself to kind of be able to really just sit and talk with them. And after their dance, I want to get honest, and true feelings from them and make people laugh and make people smile again. I feel like sometimes it gets a little serious and while it needs to be that also, it also needs to be light and fun and cheery."


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