Val Chmerkovskiy Returns to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ After One-Episode Suspension

Val Chmerkovskiy will return to Dancing With the Stars after missing one episode under a suspension for a social media post that appeared to invoke Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap. He is back in rehearsals and is due to rejoin the ballroom next week, continuing the season with celebrity partner Jenna Dewan.

Chmerkovskiy’s post followed judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s criticism of his wife, fellow professional dancer Jenna Johnson, after her samba with Harry Shum Jr. He later apologised to Inaba, saying the reference was a poor decision; during his absence, Dewan performed with Alan Bersten and scored 37 out of 40 for a Viennese waltz dedicated to her mother. The show’s production company said the post was inappropriate and did not meet its standards.