Updated October 18, 2026, 3:44 p.m. ET
Val Chmerkovskiy speaks out about his suspension from ‘Dancing with the Stars’.
In a statement shared via Instagram Stories on Saturday, Oct. 17, the choreographer — whose Season 35 partner is Jenna Dewan — addressed his upcoming absence from the Oct. 20 episode of the competing series.
News of the suspension came days after Chmerkovskiy apparently suggested he wanted to slap Carrie Ann Inaba like Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars.
“At a time when my instinct was to defend my wife, I made the poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without thinking about what else that reference might imply, which was truly never my intention,” he wrote.
What did Val Chmerkovskiy say about Carrie Ann Inaba?
“Carrie Ann certainly did not deserve to be caught in the middle of my poor judgment, and I hate that she was,” he continued. “The last thing I want is to become a distraction from an important week or the incredible work my dance partner Jenna Dewan is doing.”
Chmerkovskiy concluded his statement by saying he would watch the October 20 episode and “cheer everyone on!”
Why was Val Chmerkovskiy suspended from ‘DWTS’?
Chmerkovskiy’s controversial comments came after a tense exchange on the dance reality show between Inaba and Chmerkovskiy’s wife, pro Jenna Johnson.
Inaba alleged that Johnson’s routine with Harry Shum Jr. included illegal lifting.
After the exchange, Chmerkovskiy defended his wife on TikTok.
“You almost saw Fresh Prince walk into the ballroom last night,” he said, referring to Smith’s character in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and the fact that the actor slapped Rock during the 2022 Oscars because of a joke Rock made about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
In response, Inaba asked on Instagram: “So this is what we do now?”
Before his suspension, Chmerkovskiy said in an October 15 Instagram Stories post that he had apologized to Inaba.
“I also want to publicly apologize because I understand that my words affect so many people outside of our internal DWTS family. I should never have made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it,” he said.
But on October 17, the series’ production company, BBC Studios, confirmed that Chmerkovskiy would not appear in the October 20 episode.
“The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable,” BBC Studios said in a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter. “Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected to the show.”
USA TODAY has contacted representatives from ABC and BBC studios for comment.
Who replaces Val Chmerkovskiy with Jenna Dewan?
“Dancing With the Stars” pro Alan Bersten will be Dewan’s dance partner for the Oct. 20 episode, according to Page Six and People. The two are set to hit the dance floor on Tuesday, October 20, for the Dedication Night episode of the series, according to Us Weekly.
Bersten, an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer, competed on season 10 in 2013 before turning professional on season 25. He then won season 28 with “Bachelorette” star Hannah Brown.
Contributors: Anthony Robledo and Melina Khan
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