DWTS Veteran Benched

Val Chmerkovskiy just got suspended from Dancing with the Stars. When Dedication Night aired, pro Alan Burstyn took the ballroom floor alongside celebrity contestant Jenna Dewan instead.

Co-host Alfonso Ribeiro addressed the sudden shakeup right at the top of the broadcast to explain why Val was missing. Despite the last-minute swap, Dewan and Burstyn delivered a Viennese waltz that earned an impressive 37 out of 40.

In their pre-dance clip, Burstyn insisted on keeping the spotlight entirely on Dewan's tribute dance for her mother, Nancy Lee Bersh. During panel scoring, Carrie-Anne acknowledged the backstage tension by telling Dewan her emotional journey had been a lot.

Off-screen, Chmerkovskiy released a public statement admitting that his bad judgment placed others in an unfair position. He confirmed reaching out directly and personally to express regret for causing a distraction during a major week.

The professional dancer urged supportive viewers to send love to the entire cast ahead of the episode. That public remorse followed swift action from producer BBC Studios to enforce disciplinary protocol.

Executives stated that the well-being of everyone on set is non-negotiable, and his conduct violated show standards. The official penalty benched the veteran performer for one full week of live broadcasts.

The harsh sanctions were triggered by explicit online conduct that breached network policy guidelines. Tensions originally flared following intense feedback delivered on-air during a previous routine.

He published an inappropriate social media post aimed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba after she criticized a dance lift.