Jenna Dewan has reunited with Val Chmerkovskiy for Dancing With The Stars rehearsals following his one-week suspension.
The actress shared a video on Instagram Stories on Sunday, showing the pair back together ahead of Halloween week.
Jenna danced with stand-in partner Alan Bersten last week while Val sat out the programme. His absence followed a backlash over a deleted TikTok post concerning judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
BBC Studios confirmed the suspension in a statement to Deadline, describing his social media post as inappropriate.
“The well-being of everyone who works on Dancing with the Stars is non-negotiable,” the statement said.
Jenna Dewan reveals Halloween dance with Val Chmerkovskiy
Their next performance will be an Argentine tango to Uninvited. Jenna explained that the routine takes inspiration from horror film 28 Weeks Later.
The pair are preparing for Tuesday’s Halloween Horror Movie Night episode, with Val back alongside his celebrity partner.
The rehearsal update had a lighter moment, too. Val, 40, smiled and flashed two peace signs before wiping his face with both hands.
“Why am I so oily?” he asked.
Jenna, 45, laughed at his remark before ending the recording. The video also appeared on the programme’s official Instagram account.
Alongside their joint update, Jenna shared another clip showing her warm-up.
Why Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended from DWTS
The controversy began after Carrie Ann criticised a performance by Val’s wife, professional dancer Jenna Johnson, and Harry Shum Jr.
The judge questioned whether their routine met the requirements of a samba and pointed out a lift. She awarded the pair eight points.
Many fans interpreted Val’s subsequent Fresh Prince reference as an allusion to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. He faced accusations that the post amounted to a threat against Carrie Ann.
Val later apologised publicly to Carrie Ann on Instagram, saying he had also contacted her directly. He acknowledged the responsibility of having a platform and being a role model.
“I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward.”
Val also addressed the fallout through his representative in a statement to the Daily Mail.
He said he had intended to defend his wife, but hadn’t considered what else the reference might imply. He acknowledged making a poor decision and said he didn’t want to distract from Jenna Dewan’s work.
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