Val Chmerkovskiy will miss the October 20 episode of Dancing with the Stars after a social media post defending his wife, fellow professional dancer Jenna Johnson, triggered controversy. The incident began when judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized a lift during Jenna Dewan and Harry Shum Jr.’s samba on October 13. Val later shared a TikTok message reading, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” which appeared to reference Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. Although Val deleted the post, screenshots circulated online, prompting viewers to question its implications. BBC Studios, which produces the competition, called the message inappropriate and said it did not meet the standards expected of people associated with the show. The company confirmed that Val would not participate in the following week’s episode, marking an unusual disciplinary decision for the long-running competition. Reactions were divided, with some fans calling for stronger consequences while others argued that the response was excessive.
On October 18, Val addressed the suspension in an Instagram statement, admitting that he had made a poor decision while trying to defend his wife. He explained that he had referenced a meme without fully considering how others might interpret it and insisted that promoting violence was never his intention. He also apologized to Carrie Ann, acknowledging that she had been unfairly drawn into the controversy, and encouraged viewers to support Jenna Dewan during the upcoming Dedication Night. Professional dancer Alan Bersten will replace Val as Jenna’s partner for the October 20 broadcast. The pair will perform a Viennese waltz to “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers, dedicated to Jenna’s mother, Nancy. The episode airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, with the remaining couples also honoring important people in their lives. While Val watches from home, Jenna faces the challenge of adjusting to a new partner and delivering an emotional performance amid the unexpected attention surrounding the show.
