Following Val Chmerkovskiy’s suspension, Jenna Dewan was left with no dancing partner in Dancing With the Stars’ upcoming episode titled “Dedication Night.”
Now, US Weekly has confirmed that the Step Up star will be performing with Dancing With the Stars pro Alan Bersten on October 20.
According to the outlet, Jenna’s upcoming performance is dedicated to her mom Nancy and she will perform a Viennese waltz set to Unchained Melody.
For those unversed, Jenna’s new partner, Alan, was also competing on the show with partner Giada de Laurentiis but was eliminated in a previous episode.
This came just hours after Val’s suspension was announced by BBC Studios’ producer in the wake of the pro dancer’s recent controversial social media post with a reference to the infamous Will Smith Oscar slap incident aimed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba, which he uploaded in defence of his wife Jenna Johnson, who is also his fellow DWTS pro.
The producer said in a statement, “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. As a result, he will not participate in next week’s show.”
Later, Val acknowledged his suspension in a statement shared with Page Six, admitting it was his “instinct” to “defend” his wife Jenna Johnson following Judge Inaba’s harsh criticism of her performance on a previous episode.
Val stated, “(I) made a poor decision to reference a meme to ‘keep my wife’s name’ out of the conversation, without stopping to think through what else th
He continued, “Carrie Ann certainly didn’t deserve to get caught in the middle of my bad judgment, and I hate that she was.
“The last thing I want is to become a distraction from an important week or from the incredible work my dance partner Jenna Dewan is putting in.”
Val concluded, “Please send Carrie Ann, Jenna, and the whole DWTS family lots of love during Dedication Night. I’ll be watching and cheering everyone on!!”
About The Author
