Alfonso Ribeiro to host 'Dancing with the Stars' in Tom Bergeron's absence

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Alfonso Ribeiro will take the reigns on ABC's Dancing With the Stars Monday night while longtime host Tom Bergeron visits his ailing father near Los Angeles.

The Dancing personality tweeted his plans to skip Monday's episode Sunday afternoon, saying he is doing so to "be at my dad's bedside."

"He's given me a lifetime of support," Bergeron, 60, wrote alongside a photo of the two when he was a child. "Time to return the favor." Later, while in transit to his parent's location, Bergeron shared a message of thanks to well-wishing fans.

Meanwhile, Ribeiro -- a previous DWTS winner -- announced via Instagram he will fill in for the tenured emcee with "a heavy heart for my friend Tom and the Bergeron family."

Ribeiro appears frequently on the show after winning its 19th season in 2014 and is Bergeron's successor as host of America's Funniest Home Videos.