Alan Bersten Steps In for Val Chmerkovskiy on Dancing with the Stars

Dancing with the Stars underwent a live partner change on October 20, as professional dancer Alan Bersten stepped in to perform alongside celebrity contestant Jenna Dewan. The adjustment occurred because regular pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended for one week following an inappropriate social media post.

At the beginning of the October 20 episode, co-host Alfonso Ribeiro addressed the switch directly with viewers. "As you can see, Alan Bersten is with Jenna Dewan because Val is not with us this week," Ribeiro announced to the ballroom audience.

BBC Studios issued a statement explaining that Chmerkovskiy's suspension stemmed from a since-deleted social media post that appeared to reference the 2022 Academy Awards physical altercation involving Will Smith and Chris Rock. The post followed criticism from judge Carrie Ann Inaba directed at a routine performed by Chmerkovskiy's wife, fellow pro dancer Jenna Johnson, and her partner, Harry Shum Jr. BBC Studios noted that the well-being of everyone working on the program is non-negotiable and that Chmerkovskiy's remarks did not reflect the values or standards expected by the show.

Chmerkovskiy issued a public apology following the incident. He stated that his instinct to defend his wife led to poor decision-making and an inappropriate reference, adding that he never intended to imply violence and regretted that Inaba became caught in the middle of his bad judgment.

Despite the sudden partnership change, Dewan and Bersten delivered a successful performance during the show's Dedication Night. The pair performed a Viennese waltz to "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers, a routine dedicated to Dewan's mother, Nancy. The dance earned Dewan her first score of 10 of the season, bringing their total to 37 out of 40 points and placing them in a tie for second place on the leaderboard.

Watching from home, Chmerkovskiy expressed support for his temporary replacement and his celebrity partner. He commented on social media to praise the routine as "perfection" and thanked Bersten for stepping in and doing an amazing job. There was no elimination at the end of Dedication Night, and Chmerkovskiy is expected to return to the ballroom alongside Dewan for the October 27 episode.