Val Chmerkovskiy, a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars, has been benched from the show’s Dedication Night episode following social media comments in which he allegedly threatened physical harm toward judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
According to Us Magazine, Chmerkovskiy, 40, made the threatening remarks on social media after Inaba critiqued his wife, Jenna Johnson, during the October 13 episode. Johnson, a two-time mirrorball champion, was criticized for including an illegal lift in her Super Bowl Night samba with celebrity contestant Harry Shum Jr. Inaba and Johnson later resolved the matter, but Chmerkovskiy posted comments defending his wife that referenced the 2022 Academy Awards incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock.
A BBC Studios spokesperson confirmed the suspension in a statement: “The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable. Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”
Chmerkovskiy issued a public apology days later, stating: “In a moment where my instinct was to defend my wife, I made a poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without stopping to think through what else that reference could imply, which was genuinely never my intention.”
He added that Inaba “certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment” and expressed concern about becoming a distraction from Jenna Dewan’s performance during Dedication Night.
Dewan, 45, will perform her Dedication Night routine with DWTS pro Alan Bersten on October 20, honoring her mother Nancy with a Viennese waltz set to The Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody.” Bersten, 32, was previously eliminated in season 35.
Harry Shum Jr. praised the show’s competitors on Instagram, emphasizing the importance of celebrating each other with love and noting that Dancing With the Stars “is supposed to be joyous.” The show airs on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
Key facts
- Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended from DWTS for one week over social media posts threatening judge Carrie Ann Inaba
- The comments were made in defense of his wife Jenna Johnson after Inaba criticized her dance routine
- Chmerkovskiy issued a public apology, saying he referenced a meme without considering its full implications
- Jenna Dewan will perform with substitute partner Alan Bersten for Dedication Night on October 20