Jenna Dewan and Val Chmerkovskiy suffer major setback in 'DWTS'

Val Chmerkovskiy will not dance on Dancing with the Stars next week after a social media post that the show called inappropriate. The series says it is the first suspension of a pro in its history.

Chmerkovskiy, 40, shared the news on Instagram Stories on Saturday, saying he will miss “Dedication Night.” 

The post in question has been deleted. 

It said, “You almost saw the Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” a nod to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. 

Chmerkovskiy posted it after judge Carrie Ann Inaba critiqued the latest dance by his wife, Jenna Johnson, and her partner, Harry Shum Jr.

BBC Studios, which makes the show, said in a statement, per Deadline, that “the well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable.” 

It added that his post “does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show.”

Chmerkovskiy wrote that he wanted to defend his wife and made “a poor decision to reference a meme.” He said Inaba “didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle” and that he never meant to imply anything harmful. He asked fans to send love to Inaba, Johnson and the whole show, and said he’ll be cheering everyone on.

He had already apologised to Inaba, 58, directly on Thursday, and also shared a public apology. “I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward,” he wrote.

His dance partner, Jenna Dewan, will be paired with Alan Bersten, who was eliminated earlier this season.