‘DWTS’ judge Carrie Ann Inaba speaks out on lift controversy after Val Chmerkovskiy suspension

Carrie Ann Inaba has spoken publicly about a dispute over lift rules on “Dancing With the Stars”, saying she and Jenna Johnson hugged after Inaba criticised Johnson’s lifts during a dance. Inaba said she had held back while the series was competing and wants the judges and dancers to discuss how the rules are applied.

She proposed creating a new lift rule for next season, citing changes to the show and its audience and saying the rule is intended to promote safety and fairness. Johnson’s husband, Val Chmerkovskiy, was suspended for one show after posting a since-deleted message widely understood as referring to Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap; he later apologised to Inaba.