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Val Chmerkovskiy is addressing the "chaos."
The pro dancer was back on Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday (October 27) after a one-week suspension following comments he made on social media the previous week, per Page Six. During the intro package, he apologized to his celebrity partner Jenna Dewan, who paired up with Alan Bersten during his absence during "Dedication Night", saying he felt "awful" for the "chaos" of the shocking suspension.
"We are back together. I am so sorry for all the chaos. You did not sign up for that, and I feel awful," he told her, to which Dewan hugged him and said she forgave him, adding, "I missed you."
Chmerkovskiy was suspended from DWTS on October 17 for one week after inappropriate comments he made online directed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba. While attempting to defend his wife and fellow DWTS pro Jenna Johnson from Inaba's critiques, Chmerkovskiy referenced the infamous 2022 Oscars moment in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock over a joke he made about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
He later shared a statement apologizing for his "careless" remarks, saying he "should have never made the reference that I did" and that he "deeply [regrets] it," adding that he had apologized Inaba directly.
Chmerkovskiy and Inaba also seemingly cleared the air during his return this week. According to a video obtained by People, the pair hugged it out while Inaba acknowledged the surrounding audience, saying, "So everyone's staring. We are coworkers and we are completely cordial. We are good, okay?"
Chmerkovskiy later told the outlet that their interaction felt like "cathartic relief."
"I think it was just really important for me to make sure that she feels safe and knows that, firsthand from me, I want nothing but love for her," he said. "I want nothing but joy for her and as much as the world might say otherwise, I want her to know how I feel, not how others want me to feel, but how I genuinely feel."
He continued, "I will have nothing but love for Carrie Ann. I have nothing but respect for what she has to say."