Val Chmerkovskiy is speaking out about his "Dancing with the Stars" suspension.
In a statement shared via Instagram Stories on Saturday, Oct. 17, the choreographer – whose Season 35 partner is Jenna Dewan – addressed his upcoming absence from the competition series' Oct. 20 episode.
The suspension news arrived days after Chmerkovskiy seemingly suggested he wanted to slap Carrie Ann Inaba
like Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022."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.
What did Val Chmerkovskiy say about Carrie Ann Inaba?
"Carrie Ann certainly didn't deserve
to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was," he continued. "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."
Chmerkovskiy closed his statement by saying he'll be watching the Oct. 20 episode and "cheering everyone on!"
Why was Val Chmerkovskiy suspended from 'DWTS'?
Chmerkovskiy's contentious comments came after a tense exchange on the reality dance competition show between Inaba and Chmerkovskiy's wife, pro Jenna Johnson.
Inaba alleged Johnson's routine with Harry Shum Jr. included an illegal lift.
After the exchange, Chmerkovskiy defended his wife on TikTok.
"You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night," he said, referencing Smith's character from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and the fact that the actor slapped Rock at the Academy Awards ceremony in 2022 over a joke Rock made about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
In response, Inaba asked on Instagram, "So this is what we are doing now?"
Before his suspension, Chmerkovskiy said in an Oct. 15 Instagram Stories post that he apologized to Inaba.
"I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal DWTS family. I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it," he said.
But on Oct. 17, the show's production company, BBC Studios, confirmed that Chmerkovskiy won't appear on the Oct. 20 episode.
"The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing With the Stars is non-negotiable," BBC Studios said in a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter. "Val’s social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show."
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives at ABC and BBC Studios for comment.
Who is filling in for Val Chmerkovskiy with Jenna Dewan?
"Dancing with the Stars" pro Alan Bersten will fill in as Dewan's dance partner for the Oct. 20 episode, according to Page Six and People. The two are slated to hit the dance floor Tuesday, Oct. 20, for the show's Dedication Night episode, per Us Weekly.
Bersten, an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer, was a Season 10 contestant in 2013 before becoming a pro on Season 25. He later won Season 28 with "Bachelorette" star Hannah Brown.
Contributing: Anthony Robledo and Melina Khan
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Val Chmerkovskiy breaks silence on 'DWTS' suspension – Who's Jenna's new partner?
