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Val Chmerkovskiy Dancing With the Stars suspension

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2026-10-23 18:58 UTC → 2026-10-26 16:22 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy received a one-week suspension from ‘Dancing With the Stars’ following a controversial social media post. The disciplinary action, announced by producer BBC Studios, was triggered by a TikTok post Chmerkovskiy made in response to judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s critique of his wife, Jenna Johnson. In the post, Chmerkovskiy referenced the 2022 Oscars incident involving Will Smith, writing, ‘You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.’ Chmerkovskiy issued a public apology, admitting he made a ‘poor decision’ by using a meme that could imply physical aggression. He noted he had reached out to Inaba personally to apologize and acknowledged his responsibility as a role model. During his absence, celebrity partner Jenna Dewan performed during the ‘Dedication Night’ episode with professional dancer Alan Bersten. The pair performed a Viennese waltz, which earned Dewan her first perfect score of the season. Bersten noted that he had been in communication with Val during the preparation for the routine. Following the incident, Maks Chmerkovskiy expressed support for his brother at the Dancers Against Cancer’s Gala of the Stars in Los ~~Angeles. Maks stated that he stands by Val, noting that his brother is capable of handling the situation himself and emphasizing~~ Angeles, stating that the controversy does not change his feelings toward him. Chmerkovskiy has since returned to rehearsals for the show. Despite the disciplinary action, he reportedly remains on the roster for the 2027 ‘Dancing With the Stars’ live tour, where he and Jenna Johnson are expected to be central figures, provided the season proceeds without further incident.

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