BBC Suspends Val Chmerkovskiy From Dancing With the Stars
Chmerkovskiy will miss next week's show after a TikTok post followed criticism of a samba lift performed by his wife, Jenna Johnson.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Dancing
BBC Studios has suspended Val Chmerkovskiy from Dancing With the Stars for one week after a TikTok video he posted following the Oct. 13 episode. Chmerkovskiy has since posted an apology on Instagram Stories and said he reached out privately to Carrie Ann Inaba.
Why it matters
The suspension follows judge Carrie Ann Inaba's criticism of Jenna Johnson's inclusion of a lift in her samba, a move not permitted in that dance style. The episode highlights how rule enforcement and public commentary on the show can spill onto social media.
BBC Studios imposed a one-week suspension on Chmerkovskiy, and Inaba scored Johnson's samba 8 out of 10 on the Oct. 13 episode. Whether the lift penalty affected the final standings is not addressed in the available details.
The players
Val Chmerkovskiy
A Ukrainian-born professional dancer and longtime Dancing With the Stars pro who was suspended after his TikTok post.
BBC Studios
The production company behind Dancing With the Stars, which issued the one-week suspension.
Carrie Ann Inaba
A longtime Dancing With the Stars judge whose criticism of the samba lift prompted the controversy.
The details
Chmerkovskiy posted a TikTok video after the Oct. 13 "Super Bowl Night" episode that included the line "You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night." The post came after Inaba faulted Johnson's samba with Harry Shum Jr. for a lift, which is not permitted in the samba.
Timeline
Oct. 13, 2026: Episode aired, Inaba criticized Johnson's samba lift
Oct. 20, 2026: Jenna Dewan danced with replacement partner Alan Bersten on the show
Context
The dispute centers on the show's rule against lifts in the samba, a standard that judges enforce through scoring and commentary. Public disagreements between judges and pros over those rules have tested how the franchise handles on-air critique and off-air responses.
Viewers planning to watch the next episodes should note that Chmerkovskiy will not appear in next week's show. Fans following the season can track the replacement partnerships that have been used since eliminations and partner changes.
The takeaway
Public criticism between judges and pros can quickly escalate when it moves to social media, so following official show rules and direct communication channels matters for everyone involved. The suspension shows that networks will act on off-air conduct that becomes a public dispute.
Further reading
Explore more on Dancing for context on competitive ballroom and social dance.
Source note: This article includes information reported by RadarOnline.
