BBC Studios announced on Saturday that Dancing With the Stars pro Val Chmerkovskiy will not participate in next week’s live show after an offscreen social media joke aimed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba. BBC Studios said, "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." The remark followed Inaba’s Oct. 13 critique of Jenna Johnson, Chmerkovskiy’s wife, about a lift in her routine; Chmerkovskiy posted on his TikTok story, "You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night," after saying, "Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth," then deleted the post. Chmerkovskiy issued a public apology, saying he made a poor decision referencing a meme while defending his wife, that Carrie Ann "certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle," and that he has reached out to apologize directly. Jenna Dewan will still perform on Dedication Night and will be paired with Alan Bersten, who was eliminated in week three; Dewan will dance a Viennese waltz to "Unchained Melody" dedicated to her mother. Variety confirmed Jenna "is aware and has continued to be a true professional," and BBC Studios framed the benching as a consequence of the post rather than on-air conduct. Chmerkovskiy has appeared on Dancing With the Stars since season two, and the production said the decision reflects its standards for staff and talent behavior.
