Overview
- The suspension was announced Oct. 17 after Chmerkovskiy posted a now‑deleted TikTok story that referenced the 2022 Oscars slap while reacting to judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s critique of his wife, pro Jenna Johnson.
- BBC Studios said the post was inappropriate and that the well‑being of everyone who works on the show is non‑negotiable, and it confirmed Chmerkovskiy will not perform on the Oct. 20 Dedication Night episode.
- Chmerkovskiy issued public apologies on Instagram, said he contacted Inaba directly, and called his remark a poor decision made while trying to defend his wife.
- To keep the live broadcast and voting process intact, producers paired Jenna Dewan with eliminated pro Alan Bersten for the Dedication Night performance dedicated to Dewan’s mother.
- The episode rekindled an ongoing debate over judging and rule enforcement after Inaba read the show’s definition of a ‘lift’ during the Oct. 13 Super Bowl Night critique, and the suspension underscores how production is policing off‑air social media conduct.