Professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy will sit out the next episode of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” after a social media post prompted disciplinary action from the show’s production company, BBC Studios. The episode, scheduled as “Dedication Night,” is set for Tuesday, according to the supplied report.
BBC Studios confirmed the suspension Saturday. The company said Chmerkovskiy’s post was inappropriate and did not meet the standards expected of people associated with the program. It also cited the well-being of those who work on the show as a priority. ABC identified the action as the first known suspension of a professional dancer in the competition’s history.
The episode’s controversy followed a critique during the previous week’s “Super Bowl Night.” Judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized a lift in a samba performed by Jenna Johnson and her celebrity partner, actor Harry Shum Jr. Inaba also read out a definition of a lift as part of her comments.
Chmerkovskiy, who is married to Johnson, then posted a TikTok message that said, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.” The remark was widely interpreted as invoking the 2022 Academy Awards incident in which actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock. Chmerkovskiy later removed the post.
In an apology shared on Instagram Stories, Chmerkovskiy said he had acted on an impulse to defend his wife. He described his decision to use the reference as poor judgment and said he had not considered what it might suggest. He added that he did not intend the implication that others had associated with the remark.
Chmerkovskiy also apologized to Inaba, saying she should not have been drawn into the dispute. The report says he apologized to her both publicly and privately. He expressed concern that the controversy could distract from the upcoming episode and from the work of his celebrity dance partner, Jenna Dewan.
Dewan is expected to perform with professional dancer Alan Bersten while Chmerkovskiy is absent. Bersten was eliminated in Week 2 with his celebrity partner, Giada De Laurentiis, according to the report.
The suspension applies to the next show. BBC Studios’ statement did not describe any further disciplinary steps, and the supplied account does not say whether Chmerkovskiy’s absence will extend beyond the episode.
