Val Chmerkovskiy’s ‘DWTS’ Return Date Confirmed
Val Chmerkovskiy’s ‘DWTS’ Return Date Confirmed
Alyssa Norwin Thu, October 22, 2026 at 1:20 PM UTC
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VALENTIN CHMERKOVSKIY - Disney/Frank Micelotta
Dancing With the Stars barely acknowledged Val Chmerkovskiy’s absence on the October 20 episode of Dancing With the Stars after he was suspended for a social media comment ahead of the live show. Instead, host Alfonso Ribeiro simply told viewers that Jenna Dewan was dancing with a replacement partner because “Val is not with us this week.”
BBC Studios confirmed Chmerkovskiy’s suspension on October 17, noting 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.”
So, what exactly did Chmerkovskiy do and when can we expect him to return to the show alongside celebrity partner Jenna Dewan? Scroll down for everything to know.
When will Val Chmerkovskiy return to Dancing With the Stars?
Chmerkovskiy is set to return to the ballroom on October 27. Per The Hollywood Reporter and other media outlets, he has returned to rehearsals with Dewan and they are hard at work on their dance for Horror Movie Night.
There was no elimination during the October 20 episode, so Dewan’s viewer votes and judges scores (37/40) will carry over to next week. Chmerkovskiy’s suspension lasted one week.
Why was Val Chmerkovskiy suspended from Dancing With the Stars?
Chmerkovskiy’s suspension was the result of a comment he made on social media following the October 13 episode. During that live show, judge Carrie Ann Inaba gave Chmerkovskiy’s wife, Jenna Johnson, and her partner, Harry Shum Jr., some critiques about their dance. She noted that the routine didn’t include enough of the assigned dance style (samba), and urged Johnson to add more content to future dances.
Disney/Eric McCandless
Inaba also docked a point from Shum Jr.’s score because of an illegal lift in the routine. Johnson expressed her confusion at the lift remark, which prompted Inaba to read the official definition of a “lift” out loud (“any movement during which one of the dancers has both feet off the floor at the same time with the assistance or support of their partner”) and confirm she was still taking a point off.
Chmerkovskiy shook his head and looked disappointed as Johnson and Shum Jr. received their scores (a 33/40 total). Afterwards, he defended his wife in the comments section of a TikTok video that highlighted his reaction, writing, “[Put] some respect on her name. Shes trippin talking to her like that.”
He then posted (and eventually deleted) a TikTok Story that said, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” an apparent reference to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022 after the latter made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.
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When Inaba caught wind of the post, she posted a screenshot of what Chmerkovskiy wrote in a now-deleted Instagram and asked, “So this is what we are doing now?”
Chmerkovskiy took to his Instagram Story to issue a public apology. “I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post,” he wrote. “I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal DWTS family. I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it. I recognize that I am in a fortunate position to have a platform and be a role model to some, and I need to treat that with more care by actively pausing to think before I post to ensure what I am sharing aligns with who I am, and who I want to be for you all. I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward.”
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But two days later, BBC Studios announced Chmerkovskiy’s suspension. He issued another public statement, in which he claimed he did not mean to insinuate violence with his Fresh Prince reference.
“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,” Chmerkovskiy explained. “Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was. The last thing I want is to become a distraction from an important week or from the incredible work my dance partner Jenna Dewan is putting in. Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DWTS family lots of love during Dedication Night. I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!!”
Who replaced Val Chmerkovskiy on Dancing With the Stars?
For the October 20 episode, Chmerkovskiy was replaced by Alan Bersten. Dewan danced her Dedication Night routine to “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers with Bersten. The performance was dedicated to her mother, Nancy Bursch.
Bersten was partnered with Giada De Laurentiis this season, but they were eliminated on the September 22 episode. He has since become a member of the troupe and was available to fill in.
BBC Studios has not confirmed whether Bersten will remain as Chmerkovskiy’s replacement if the latter’s suspension extends to future weeks.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 35, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC and Disney+
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
