Dancing With The Stars Didn’t Seem To Miss Val Chmerkovskiy This Week

Dancing With The Stars fans were eager to tune in to the competition this week and see how the show addressed Val Chmerkovskiy’s absence.

A lot of drama went down behind the scenes after last week’s episode, and Chmerkovskiy was suspended for one week from the show.

However, Dedication Night went off without a hitch, and the competition continued without the longtime pro.

Key Takeaways

• Val Chmerkovskiy received a one-week suspension
• His comments about Carrie Ann Inaba sparked controversy
• Alan Bersten stepped in to dance with Jenna Dewan
• Tyler Cameron revealed his fiancée’s pregnancy
• Val is expected to return for the October 27 show

Why Was Val Chmerkovskiy Missing?

This week, the celebrities and pros took the Dancing With The Stars stage for Dedication Night.

When Jenna Dewan took the stage, Alan Bersten, who had already been eliminated this season, joined her instead of Val and danced with her.

The show briefly acknowledged Val’s absence before moving on with the competition.

Jenna and Alan performed a Viennese waltz to “Unchained Melody,” which Dewan dedicated to her mother.

The actress certainly didn’t let the unexpected partner swap ruin her performance!

As Soap Opera Spy previously reported, Val’s feud with Carrie Ann Inaba sparked a heated debate among DWTS fans.

This month, Val Chmerkovskiy became the first professional dancer in DWTS history to be suspended from the show.

The show’s production company, BBC Studios, suspended Val for one episode after comments he made on social media about judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

And the controversy wasn’t even over his own scores on Dancing With The Stars. It was over his wife Jenna Johnson’s scores!

The Very First Dancing With The Stars Suspension

Val Chmerkovskiy seemingly referenced Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022, and many interpreted his remarks as a threat toward Carrie Ann Inaba.

BBC Studios decided the comments crossed a line and suspended the pro from the competition for one episode.

Val also publicly apologized to the Dancing With The Stars judge for his comments.

The controversy has divided viewers, with some believing the punishment was justified and others arguing that it went too far.

As Celebrating The Soaps reported, Val faced consequences after the Carrie Ann Inaba controversy.

It looks like Chmerkovskiy will return to regularly scheduled programming next week and hit the stage with his partner Jenna Dewan again.

In fact, he has already resumed rehearsals and is expected to return for the October 27 episode.

Tyler Cameron’s Baby Bombshell

Val has always been a fan favorite on the show, but his absence was also overshadowed by Bachelor Nation star Tyler Cameron’s pregnancy announcement during his Dedication Night performance.

Tyler revealed that he and his fiancée, Tate Madden, are expecting their first child together.

The couple also shared that they’re having a baby girl!

The emotional moment certainly gave fans something else to talk about, and Soap Opera Spy covered Tyler Cameron’s huge Dedication Night surprise.

With Val preparing to return and the competition heating up, there should be plenty more drama ahead.

Annemarie’s Take

I think Jenna Dewan handled the unexpected partner change beautifully, and Alan Bersten deserves credit for stepping in at the last minute.

As for Val, I understand why the show took his comments seriously, but I’m curious whether fans think a one-week suspension was enough.

Tyler Cameron’s baby announcement was a lovely surprise, too!

Do you think ABC was right to suspend Val Chmerkovskiy, or did the show overreact? And did you miss him during Dedication Night?

Share your thoughts below, and keep checking back here on Soap Opera Spy for more Dancing With The Stars spoilers, news, and updates.