Val Chmerkovskiy has no problem with Alan Bersten taking the lead amid his suspension from Dancing With the Stars.
Sources to the DWTS production told E! News that the 40-year-old “fully trusts Alan to manage this week and is grateful that he’s stepped in” to dance with celebrity partner Jenna Dewan after Chmerkovskiy was barred from participating in the upcoming Oct. 20 episode of the ABC series.
Chmerkovskiy is expected to be back in the ballroom for Oct. 27’s Horror Movie Night episode. Indeed, sources close to the dance pro told E! that “as per Val’s conversations with the network, he fully plans to return to the show next week with his wonderful dance partner Jenna Dewan.”
Chmerkovskiy is currently serving a one-week suspension from BBC Studios—the production company behind DWTS—over a recent social media comment he made toward judge Carrie Ann Inaba, who called out the dancer’s wife and fellow pro Jenna Johnson for what she considered was an illegal lift during a samba routine on the Oct. 13 episode.
Chmerkovskiy wrote on TikTok following Inaba’s critique that viewers “almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom,” leading many to believe he was referencing Will Smith‘s infamous Oscars 2022 slap.
Though Chmerkovskiy later publicly and privately apologized to Inaba, BBC Studios issued a suspension against the dancer, telling E! in an Oct. 17 statement that 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,” the statement continued. “As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”
Since then, Chmerkovskiy has further explained his perspective, saying that he “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,” he wrote on his Instagram Stories Oct. 17. “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.”
Bersten was recently named as Chmerkovskiy’s temporary replacement amid his suspension. The 32-year-old was previously eliminated from the season 35 competition alongside Giada De Laurentiis on DWTS‘ Sept. 22 episode.
Now Bersten is getting into the swing of things with Dewan, 45, as the pair shared an update on their routine Oct. 19.
“We are dancing a Viennese Waltz to ‘Unchained Melody’ by The Righteous Brothers,” the Step Up actress said in a video posted on DWTS‘ social media pages. “So excited.”
For a complete guide on this season’s DWTS cast, read on.
Julia Stiles & Ezra Sosa
You won’t hate this news—the 10 Things I Hate About You star will be saving the last dance for her pro partner.
Giada De Laurentiis & Alan Bersten
The celebrity chef couldn’t cha-cha-chop away the competition and was eliminated during the Sept. 22 episode.
Harry Shum Jr. & Jenna Johnson
What did you miss on Glee? The actor taking his musical talents to the dance floor.
Taylor Hanson & Britt Stewart
Sadly, the former ’90s teen heartthrob did not MMMBop his way to the top of the leaderboard on season 35. He and his pro partner were axed from the competition on Sept. 29.
Tatyana Ali & Jan Ravnik
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress will be bringing her fresh moves to the dance floor.
Jenna Dewan & Val Chmerkovskiy
Twenty years after starring in Step Up, the dancer is stepping up to the challenge.
Amber Glenn & Pasha Pashkov
The 2026 Olympic figure skater will take her skills from the ice to the ballroom.
Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach
The Team USA Paralympic track and field athlete will show off his athleticism on DWTS.
Sarah Jane Nader & Hailey Bills
Though her sister Brooks Nader was the fifth star to be eliminated on season 33, the Love Thy Nader star said goodbye to the competition after her debut episode on Sept. 16.
Connor Wood & Rylee Arnold
The comedian, also known as Fibula on social media, is ready to earn more applause on DWTS.
Conner Leavitt & Adele Zaikman
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star followed his wife Whitney Leavitt‘s footsteps after her season 34 appearance, but he bid farwell to the season 35 competition during the Sept. 15 premiere.
Tyler Cameron & Sharna Burgess
The Bachelor Nation star is trading in roses for rumbas.
Jackson Olson & Emma Slater
The Savannah Bananas baseball player is stepping up to the plate, bringing his dance moves from the diamond to the ballroom.
Guillermo Rodriguez & Witney Carson
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! star was ready to learn some new moves, but his time on DWTS was cut short on Oct. 13.
Ciara Miller & Brandon Armstrong
Even though Summer House star had fans screaming “bravo,” she was eliminated from the competition on Oct. 6.
Maura Higgins & Mark Ballas
The Love Island U.K. alum is hoping her love for DWTS doesn’t betray her as she manifested this experience.
“I have a vision board and I redo it every year,” she told E! News in May. “This year is the first year that I stayed at home by myself on New Year’s Eve. I did not go out at all. I made myself a bowl of pasta and a glass of red wine and I redid my vision board for the year. Dancing With the Stars was already on it from the year before. However, I added five more Dancing With the Stars on the board.”
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