Producer removes Chmerkovskiy for one week
BBC Studios announced on Saturday that Val Chmerkovskiy will not take part in next week's edition of Dancing With the Stars. In its statement, the production company described his social media post as inappropriate and said it did not reflect the values or standards it expects from anyone associated with the program. The company also stressed that the welfare of every person working on the show is not open to negotiation.[S1][S2][S3][S4]
The decision followed a post Chmerkovskiy published to his TikTok story and then quickly removed. In it, he wrote that viewers nearly saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom, an apparent nod to Will Smith striking Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards after telling the comedian to keep his wife's name out of his mouth. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba saw the remark and thanked reporters for bringing it to her attention in a post of her own.[S1]
What prompted the post
The sequence began during the Oct. 13 episode, when Inaba assessed a routine by Jenna Johnson, who is married to Chmerkovskiy. The judge pointed out that the performance contained a lift and then read aloud the definition of such a move. Chmerkovskiy responded with the TikTok message, which framed the moment as an echo of the Oscars confrontation.[S1]
Chmerkovskiy has been part of the Dancing With the Stars cast since its second season. In a Thursday message on his Instagram Story, he apologized to Inaba and to viewers, saying he had contacted her privately to say sorry and wanted to do so publicly as well. He acknowledged that his words reach people beyond the show's own circle and said he should pause before posting so that what he shares matches the person he wants to be.[S1]
Partner stays in the competition
After the benching was announced, Chmerkovskiy posted again on Instagram, explaining that his first instinct had been to defend his wife and that he had turned to a meme without considering what else it might suggest. He said that was never his aim, that Inaba did not deserve to be drawn into his poor judgment, and that he did not want to distract from an important week or from the work his dance partner Jenna Dewan is doing. He asked fans to send affection to Inaba, Dewan and the wider DWTS family during Dedication Night and said he would be watching and cheering.[S1]
Dewan will still compete during dedication week, according to Variety, and will be matched with Alan Bersten, who was eliminated in week three. She is set to perform a Viennese waltz to Unchained Melody in honor of her mother. A source told Variety that Dewan is aware of the situation, has remained professional and respectful of the process, and is a valued member of the show's family whose joy and positivity the production appreciates.[S1]
Judge has spoken about ballroom criticism
During Season 34, Inaba told Variety about the booing and criticism she receives in the ballroom, treatment she said the male judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli do not face. She described being targeted with hostility since the show's early days, including in online chat rooms, and said cruel remarks had left her frightened rather than simply hurt, because the attacks felt verbal. She said she tends to shrink during a season, particularly after the fifth or sixth week.[S1]
