Shortly after the news broke that Val Chmerkovskiy would be suspended for one week from “Dancing with the Stars” following his controversial TikTok comment, the professional dancer issued a statement, once again apologizing for his actions.
“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!!”
Chmerkovskiy’s comment on TikTok came after “Super Bowl Night,” in which judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized the performance of Chmerkovskiy’s wife, DWTS pro Jenna Johnson. In the post, Chmerkovskiy wrote, “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night.”
It was directly in reference to Will Smith’s 2022 Oscar slap.
Who Will Jenna Dewan Dance With?
As her partner is now sidelined for a week, Dewan will have a new partner for dedication night.
“The Rookie” star will be dancing with Alan Bersten for her dedication night performance in honor of her mother.
A statement was shared by BBC Studios regarding the decision that read, “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.”
Val Chmerkovskiy Had Released A Previous Statement
In an Instagram story posted on Oct. 15, 2026, Chmerkovskiy shared his first sincere statement and 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 our internal DWTS family.”
“I should never have made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it,” he continued. “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 I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward. ❤️,”
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Val Chmerkovskiy Issues Second Sincere Public Apology Amid ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Suspension Over Controversial Comment