ABC has pulled a key dancer from this week’s Dancing With the Stars after a social post about judge Carrie Ann Inaba that producers deemed inappropriate. The one-week suspension removes professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy from the Tuesday, Oct. 20 broadcast and highlights how quickly offstage remarks can affect live television roles.
BBC Studios, the show’s producer, said the decision follows a review of the social-media item and reflected the program’s expectations for conduct among its cast and crew. The producer described maintaining a safe working environment as a priority and said the post did not meet the production’s standards.
What happened on social media
After the Oct. 13 episode, Chmerkovskiy posted on TikTok in response to criticism aimed at his wife and fellow pro dancer, Jenna Johnson, who partners actor Harry Shum Jr. in this season. The post included an allusion to the 2022 Oscars incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock — a reference producers found unacceptable. The TikTok was later removed.
Chmerkovskiy then used Instagram to apologize, saying he had contacted Inaba directly and regretted the comparison. ABC confirmed he will not participate in the upcoming episode but did not indicate further disciplinary steps.
- Who is involved: Val Chmerkovskiy (pro dancer), Carrie Ann Inaba (judge), Jenna Dewan (Chmerkovskiy’s current celebrity partner), Jenna Johnson (Chmerkovskiy’s wife, also a pro on the show).
- Action taken: One-week suspension; Chmerkovskiy will be absent from the Oct. 20 live show.
- Trigger: A social-media post referencing a past high-profile incident that followed Inaba’s critique of a performance.
- Response: Post deleted; public apology posted by Chmerkovskiy and outreach to Inaba reported.
The swift reaction illustrates how reality-competition series are policing off-air behavior in real time. Producers say such measures are about protecting cast and crew and upholding workplace standards rather than punishing commentary per se.
For viewers, the change will be visible on Tuesday’s broadcast; the show has not announced any substitute arrangements or additional cast moves. The episode is expected to proceed with judges’ critiques and the remaining scheduled performances.
Incidents like this raise practical questions for talent and production teams alike: how quickly to act when social posts spark controversy, and how public apologies affect relationships on and off camera. For now, the suspension stands as the immediate consequence and a reminder that social-media behavior can have direct, short-term effects on live television participation.
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Hello, I’m Beckett. I cover series and show news for you to make your evenings more captivating.