BBC Studios benches Val Chmerkovskiy for one week over TikTok
The Dancing With the Stars pro will miss next week's show after a since-deleted post that appeared to reference Will Smith's Oscar slap.
BBC Studios has suspended Val Chmerkovskiy from Dancing With the Stars for one week, the producer said, after the dance pro published a since-deleted TikTok that appeared to reference Will Smith's 2022 Oscar slap, according to deadline.com.
BBC Studios said Chmerkovskiy will not take part in next week's episode because of the social media post. In the video, he wrote: "You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night."
The post followed the show's first "Super Bowl Night," during which judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticised the performance of Chmerkovskiy's wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson.
Chmerkovskiy apologised on Instagram and said he had reached out to Inaba to apologise directly. On Thursday, Inaba posted an Instagram message thanking The New York Post and Entertainment Weekly for bringing the controversy to her attention.
With Chmerkovskiy off the floor, his celebrity partner Jenna Dewan will dance with pro Alan Bersten next week in a performance dedicated to her mother.
Quick answers
Why was Val Chmerkovskiy suspended from Dancing With the Stars?
BBC Studios suspended him for one week over a since-deleted TikTok that appeared to reference Will Smith's Oscar slap. He will not take part in next week's show.
Who will Jenna Dewan dance with next week?
Jenna Dewan will dance with pro Alan Bersten in a performance dedicated to her mother.
Did Val Chmerkovskiy apologise?
Yes. He apologised on Instagram and said he reached out to judge Carrie Ann Inaba to apologise directly.