“Dancing With the Stars” pro Val Chmerkovskiy will sit out next week’s episode after producers suspended him for one week over an inappropriate social media post about judge Carrie Ann Inaba, BBC Studios announced Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.
The Val Chmerkovskiy suspension stems from a TikTok he posted Wednesday referencing Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap. The post read, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” and Chmerkovskiy later deleted it.
What Led To The Val Chmerkovskiy Suspension
Chmerkovskiy made the post after Inaba criticized a performance by his wife, pro dancer Jenna Johnson, and her celebrity partner Harry Shum Jr. Inaba said the choreography lacked content and docked a point from the score over an illegal lift in the routine, according to TV Insider.
Inaba responded to the post on Instagram, writing, “So this is what we are doing now?”
The Official Statement And Suspension Terms
BBC Studios, which produces the show, confirmed Chmerkovskiy will miss next week’s episode. “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. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show,” the studio said, according to TheWrap.
Chmerkovskiy’s current dance partner, Jenna Dewan, is scheduled to perform next week in a routine dedicated to her mother during the show’s Dedication Night. She will dance without him while he serves the suspension.
Chmerkovskiy’s Apology
Chmerkovskiy posted a public apology to his Instagram Stories on Thursday, a day before the suspension was announced. He said he had already reached out to Inaba to apologize directly.
“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, which was genuinely never my intention,” he wrote. “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!!”
He followed with a second statement reiterating his regret. “I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post. 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,” he wrote.
“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 to 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.”
What Fans Can Expect Next
Dedication Night proceeds as scheduled, with Jenna Dewan dancing her tribute routine without her usual partner. Chmerkovskiy’s suspension covers one episode, and the show has not announced any additional disciplinary steps beyond his week off. ABC has not issued its own separate statement on the matter beyond the BBC Studios release.
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