DWTS benches Val Chmerkovskiy after Will Smith slap reference aimed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba

BBC Studios has benched 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Val Chmerkovskiy after he posted — then deleted — a TikTok that many read as threatening judge Carrie Ann Inaba with a Will Smith-style confrontation. The decision followed Chmerkovskiy's public apology.

The well-being of everyone who works on 'Dancing with the Stars' is non-negotiable. Val's social media post was inappropriate and does not reflect the values or standards expected of anyone connected with the show.— BBC Studios

The chain of events began when Inaba called out an illegal lift in the samba performed by Chmerkovskiy's wife, fellow pro Jenna Johnson, and her celebrity partner Harry Shum Jr. Chmerkovskiy responded on social media, writing, 'Put some respect on her name. She's trippin' talking to her like that.' On TikTok, he went further, saying, 'You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night' — a remark most observers took as a nod to Will Smith's 2022 Oscars incident, in which Smith walked onstage and slapped host Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife.

After media outlets drew Inaba's attention to the comment, she responded on Instagram, where she wrote, 'So this is what we are doing now?'

Chmerkovskiy posted an apology to his Instagram stories, saying he had already reached out to Inaba directly.

I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post. I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal 'DWTS' family. I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it.— Val Chmerkovskiy, DWTS pro dancer

I recognize that I am in a fortunate position to have a platform and to be a role model to some, and I need to treat that with more care by actively pausing to think before I post to ensure what I am sharing aligns with who I am, and who I want to be for you all. I am truly sorry to Carrie Ann, and everyone who I hurt with my careless post. I will do better moving forward.— Val Chmerkovskiy, DWTS pro dancer

The apology did not prevent producers from acting. Chmerkovskiy has been benched, with BBC Studios making clear the decision was tied directly to the social media post. The show continues Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+.

Why it matters — The suspension shows that reality TV productions are willing to remove established talent over social media posts perceived as threatening, even after a public apology is issued.

Reported by variety.com, hollywoodreporter.com, usatoday.com, thewrap.com