Professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy’s suspension from “Dancing with the Stars” did not result from a human resources complaint by judge Carrie Ann Inaba, People reported on Tuesday.
Instead, his public apology prompted producer BBC Studios to investigate under its internal protocols. E! News separately corroborated that the sanction did not stem from an Inaba complaint.
Chmerkovskiy confirmed his exclusion from Tuesday’s Dedication Night episode in an October 17 statement. The disciplinary action followed a TikTok post responding to Inaba’s criticism of his wife, professional dancer Jenna Johnson, on October 13.
He later deleted the post. His comment alluded to actor Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars after a joke about Smith’s wife.
Chmerkovskiy apologised publicly on October 15, explaining that he had also contacted Inaba privately. “I made a poor decision to reference a meme,” he said in his subsequent statement.
Read: Xochitl Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy Clinch Victory in DWTS Season 32 Finale
He maintained that he intended to defend Johnson but had failed to consider what the reference could imply. He also expressed regret that Inaba had become involved.
Meanwhile, BBC Studios described the post as inappropriate and inconsistent with the programme’s standards. It cited the wellbeing of everyone working on the show when announcing his absence.
Read: Dancing With the Stars Season 34 Finale: Finalists, How to Watch Live
Producers selected previously eliminated professional dancer Alan Bersten to replace him alongside actor Jenna Dewan. The pair are scheduled to perform a Viennese waltz for Dedication Night.
