October 27, 2026Updated October 28, 2026, 12:42 a.m. ET
After a week’s hiatus from “Dancing With the Stars,” professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy returned to the ballroom on Tuesday, Oct. 27, joining his celebrity partner Jenna Dewan for the Horror Movie Night episode of the ABC ballroom competition.
Chmerkovskiy, 40, was forced to sit out the Oct. 20 Dedication Night episode following a controversial social media post directed at longtime judge Carrie Ann Inaba that appeared to reference Will Smith’s infamous slap to Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. Chmerkovskiy apologized, insisting he intended to defend his wife, fellow professional dancer Jenna Johnson, not threaten Inaba.
Upon his return, Chmerkovskiy was delighted to find Dewan at rehearsals, telling him: “I’m really sorry for all the chaos, you didn’t sign up for this and I feel terrible.” She accepted his apology and offered him a hug, saying, “I forgive you,” before focusing this week on Argentine tango inspired by the “Zombie” films.
After their impressive dance, the judges had nothing but good things to say, including Inaba, who opened her feedback by specifically complimenting Chmerkovskiy. “Amazing choreography, Val,” she said.
He had a big smile on his face as he thanked her for her recognition.
She also told the couple: “The whole dance was perfect,” before giving them a 9 for the dance.
What happened after ‘DWTS’ cameras stopped?
Inaba and Chmerkovskiy’s reconciliation became even more intimate after the “DWTS” cameras stopped rolling Tuesday night.
The two kissed in front of the studio audience after the show, with Inaba telling the audience behind her that she and Chmerkovskiy “were work colleagues.”
The two men continued talking, with Chmerkovskiy kissing Inaba’s hand and the judge affectionately holding her smiling face.
How did it all start?
The dispute began after Inaba criticized a samba performed by Chmerkovskiy’s wife, professional dancer Jenna Johnson, and his celebrity partner Harry Shum Jr., citing an illegal lift.
“You almost saw Fresh Prince walk into the ballroom last night,” Chmerkovskiy wrote in a since-deleted post on TikTok, seemingly invoking Smith’s “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” character and the actor’s famous outburst at the 2022 Oscars.
That post led to a week-long suspension of the show, with producers saying Chmerkovskiy’s remarks did not align with the competition’s values.
Chmerkovskiy apologized to Inaba, acknowledging his poor judgment.
“At a time when my instinct was to defend my wife, I made the poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without thinking about what else that reference might imply,” Chmerkovskiy wrote on Instagram Stories to his 1.6 million followers on October 18.
While she was away, Dewan, 45, was paired with returning pro Alan Bersten for the Oct. 20 episode, performing a Viennese waltz to the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” in honor of her mother, Nancy. Bersten was previously eliminated from the season 35 competition with celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.
Inaba broke her silence on the situation in a comment on Instagram on October 25: “I haven’t spoken about what happened out of professional courtesy to those still competing, and we actually have standards and practices that separate us. But I think part of that ‘title’ missed some important parts of what happened.
“I think it’s important for everyone to know that Jenna and I hugged each other after the Super Bowl show. Jenna was an absolute professional about it, and two women worked during that moment. I later found out that Jenna was deeply injured, so I also offered to talk to her at any time. I also offered to discuss the lift rule and how I apply it. @sharnaburgess made a great video explaining lifts, assists and what dances allow them and don’t allow them,” she said.
Gn entert
