Val Chmerkovskiy’s absence from the next “Dancing with the Stars” live show will be a brief interruption to his ballroom routine.
After a social media jab at judge Carrie Ann Inaba sparked backlash, producers benched Chmerkovskiy and assigned his celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan, to another dancer.
Although sources say he accepted the decision, they also revealed the longtime dancer was caught off guard by his suspension.
Val Chmerkovskiy Reportedly Accepted Suspension Despite Surprise
A source close to production told Page Six that Val Chmerkovskiy was surprised by the suspension but handled it calmly.
“The suspension took Val by surprise, but he took it gracefully and he understood,” the insider said. The suspension followed Chmerkovskiy’s now-deleted social media post aimed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
As The Blast reported, his remark referenced the 2022 Oscars incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock, after Inaba criticized a lift in his wife Jenna Johnson’s routine.
Chmerkovskiy later apologized publicly to Inaba, saying he would “do better moving forward.” Despite the apology, producers kept him off the next episode.
BBC Productions said the post was inappropriate and did not meet the standards expected of people connected to the show.
Chmerkovskiy’s Longstanding ‘DWTS’ Status Didn’t Prevent Suspension
Val Chmerkovskiy has been part of “Dancing With the Stars” for 15 years and is reportedly well-liked within the production.
A second source told Page Six, “He’s always been the golden child of that show and franchise.”
That standing, however, did not change the company’s response. The insider further noted that the show felt like suspending Chmerkovskiy was a necessary measure.
Producers emphasized that the well-being of everyone working on the program was “non-negotiable” as they announced that Chmerkovskiy would miss the upcoming broadcast.
Val Chmerkovskiy Sends Support To Jenna Dewan Ahead Of Show
While Chmerkovskiy sits out, Jenna Dewan will perform with Alan Bersten. According to one of the insiders, Chmerkovskiy has been encouraging Dewan during the upheaval and believes the new partnership will succeed.
“Val has sent lots of support to Jenna [Dewan] amid everything that’s going on and he knows that she and Alan are going to crush it this week,” the source said, adding, “He’s grateful to Alan for stepping in.”
Meanwhile, the 40-year-old is expected to watch the broadcast from home, with the source saying he anticipates being back for the following live show.
More From The Blast
- Val previously revealed how he planned to handle the “ringer” criticism surrounding Jenna Dewan.
- Steve Kazee also addressed speculation that Dewan was getting too “touchy” with Val during rehearsals.
- Dewan admitted her extensive dance experience had unexpectedly become one of her biggest “DWTS” obstacles.
- Val’s brother Maksim Chmerkovskiy recently blasted the show’s “confusing rulebook” after Jenna Johnson’s lift controversy.
- Earlier this year, Val was forced out of a live tour performance after being hospitalized with vertigo.
Gleb Savchenko Critiques Alan Bersten As Val Chmerkovskiy Sits Out
As Jenna Dewan prepares for “Dancing With the Stars”’ Dedication Night, her temporary dance partner Alan Bersten has come under scrutiny from fellow pro Gleb Savchenko.
During an Instagram Live, Savchenko questioned Bersten’s dancing. In a clip of the exchange later reshared by a fan account, Savchenko criticized Bersten’s technique and performance quality.
“He’s just not up to the level of dancing, period,” he said per The Blast, before referring to Bersten’s “quality” and “technique.”
He allowed that Bersten was “a good dancer, I guess, for TV,” but challenged whether his dancing could amount to creating art. Savchenko then asked, “Why Alan?”
Val Chmerkovskiy’s Suspension Draws Steve Kazee’s Public Support For Dewan
While Savchenko’s comments put Dewan’s new partner under a spotlight, her fiancé Steve Kazee publicly encouraged her ahead of Dedication Night.
The Blast reported that Kazee shared an Instagram Stories photo of Dewan from “Super Bowl Night” and praised her character as she faced the sudden change.
“Everytime I think I can’t love you more, your grace, your class and your heart prove me wrong,” Kazee wrote. He ended the message with, “You got this baby! We got you!”
Dewan is set to perform a Viennese waltz with Bersten to the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody,” dedicating the dance to her mother, Nancy Bursch.