‘Live’: Kym Johnson Talks ‘DWTS’ Return & Robert Herjavec Marriage

Kym Johnson‘s Dancing With the Stars guest judge appearance has her wanting to return to the ballroom.

The former DWTS pro made her guest judge debut on Season 34 of the ABC competition series last year. Johnson won over fans with her constructive criticism and compliments toward the show’s competitors, with many expressing their wishes for her join the judging lineup permanently.

“It was so fun to be on the other side. I know what they’re going through. I’ve been there and done that,” Johnson recalled on the Friday, February 13, episode of Live With Kelly and Mark. When asked by host Kelly Ripa whether she’s interested in returning to the show in a judging role, Johnson said, “I would love to. It was so great.”

She added, “It was really fun to give them some little tips that I’ve sort of learned along the way. So, I loved it. It’s such a great show.” Ripa, for her part, noted, “I really think you need dancers to be the judge[s] of dancers. I don’t think you can just have people step in that don’t have a dance terminology, technology, behind the judge.”

All of the show’s current judges — Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough — all come from dance backgrounds. Johnson competed as a pro on DWTS for 15 seasons from 2006 to 2017, and took home the mirrorball trophy twice.

Robert Herjavec, Kym Johnson, Kelly Ripa, and Mark Consuelos on the February 13, 2026, episode of ABC's 'Live With Kelly and Mark.'

ABC

It was on DWTS that Johnson met her now-husband, Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec. The couple fell in love while competing together during Season 20 in 2015 and tied the knot in 2016. The pair welcomed their twins, Haven and Hudson, in 2018. (Herjavec shares his three eldest children with his ex-wife, Diane Plese.)

Herjavec appeared alongside Johnson on Live‘s Valentine’s Day-themed episode on Friday. When it comes to their own Valentine’s Day plans, the couple revealed their celebrations are more focused on their children.

“We’ll wake up, do pancakes shaped like hearts,” Johnson shared. “Robert’s really romantic and very thoughtful, so he’ll always get lots of balloons for the kids, and then flowers for me, and he’ll get flowers for my mom. It’s very sweet.”

Ripa’s husband and cohost, Mark Consuelos, then asked Johnson about the first gift she received from Herjavec. The gift actually ties in with their first date, as Johnson nearly lost a bracelet in Herjavec’s car while riding to attend a friend’s vow renewal ceremony.

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“He goes, ‘You must have been so worried about this. And I said, ‘Oh, it’s fake. I wasn’t worried.’ [It was] costume jewelry,” she said. “And then, the next day, I went home from rehearsals, and on my doorstep was a box, and there was a real tennis bracelet.” In the box was a note from Herjavec which read, “There’s nothing fake about you.”

“It was the note that was the most beautiful [part],” Johnson gushed.

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