“Dancing with the Stars” pro Alan Bersten has broken his silence as he is set to fill in for Val Chmerkovskiy this week due to his suspension for his controversial comments.
Bersten posted on Instagram, teasing his upcoming Dedication Night performance with Jenna Dewan
“I am so honored to be stepping in and dancing with @jennadewan,” Bersten shared on Tuesday, October 20. “You are such a light, and it’s so beautiful to see you and your mom share the floor.”
The post included photos of the pair along with Dewan’s mom, Nancy Smith, on the ballroom floor. They will be dancing a Viennese waltz to “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers
This comes after Dewan’s professional partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, faced immense backlash for defending his wife Jenna Johnson, following her exchange with judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who criticized her choreography in last week’s episode while also calling her out for an illegal lift in a dance. He posted on TikTok, referencing Will Smith’s viral 2022 Oscars moment where he slapped Chris Rock, telling him to “keep my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth.” When Inaba saw Chmerkovskiy’s comment, she posted a screenshot and wrote, “So this is what we are doing now?”
Following the suspension, BBC Studios shared a statement, which was then posted by PEOPLE.
“The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable,” the statement read. “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.”
Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+ and streams the next day on Hulu.
Emma Slater Defends Boyfriend Alan Bersten
In the comments section of a TikTok video, Slater explained why her boyfriend, Alan Bersten, is stepping up and dancing with Dewan
“Yeah that’s what happens,” Slater commented under a video where someone expressed confusion because Bersten had already been eliminated this season. “We all step in for each other.”
Bersten had been partnered with celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, but they were eliminated on the Sept. 22 episode.
Chmerkovskiy Has Issued Two Public Apologies
Chmerkovskiy has publicly apologized to Inaba and has shared a separate statement regarding his suspension.
“Hi everyone. As you may have seen in the news, I won’t be in the ballroom this week.
– Val Chmerkovskiy
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. 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!!”
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‘Dancing with the Stars’ Pro Alan Bersten Speaks Out After Being Tapped to Replace Suspended ‘DWTS’ Star