Overview
- BBC Studios announced Saturday that Chmerkovskiy will be suspended for one week and will not appear on the Oct. 20 Dedication Night episode.
- The action followed a now‑deleted TikTok in which Chmerkovskiy wrote “You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” a line widely read as a reference to Will Smith’s 2022 Oscars slap.
- Judge Carrie Ann Inaba publicly reacted to the post and Chmerkovskiy issued multiple apologies, saying he reached out to Inaba directly and regretted his choice of words.
- Jenna Dewan will still perform on Tuesday, Oct. 20, but will be partnered with pro Alan Bersten for Dedication Night while Chmerkovskiy watches from the sidelines.
- Producers framed the suspension as a measure to protect workplace well‑being, highlighting growing scrutiny of cast social media conduct and renewed tensions over on‑air judging and enforcement of the show’s lift rules.