Alan Bersten Breaks Silence on Replacing Val Chmerkovskiy on DWTS

Alan Bersten has spoken out about stepping in as Jenna Dewan's dance partner on "Dancing With the Stars" following the suspension of Val Chmerkovskiy. Chmerkovskiy was removed from the show for one week after making a social media post that referenced Will Smith's controversial 2022 Oscars incident.

Bersten shared his enthusiasm for the opportunity on Instagram, writing, "I am so honored to be stepping in and dancing with @jennadewan." He praised Dewan, describing her as "such a light" and noting the "beautiful" moment she shared dancing with her mother, Nancy Bursch, for "Dedication Night."

Chmerkovskiy, 40, responded to Bersten's post in the comments, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you for stepping in and doing such an amazing job," he wrote. "Jenna looks so good and most importantly happy." Addressing rumors of any animosity, Chmerkovskiy jokingly added, "You’re my new favorite follow," with a winky face emoji, referencing that he had recently started following Bersten on the platform.

Dewan, 45, also took to social media to express her joy in creating a memorable experience with her mother on the show. "This is a truly timeless moment for my family," she captioned her post. "So grateful I get to create this memory with my mom that we will share forever! And thank you also to Alan for stepping in and being amazing."

BBC Studios announced Chmerkovskiy's suspension on Saturday. The decision followed a TikTok post where Chmerkovskiy commented on judge Carrie Ann Inaba's critique of his wife, Jenna Johnson's, performance. "Viewers 'almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom' after judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s critique of his wife Jenna Johnson’s performance during 'Super Bowl Night,'" Chmerkovskiy wrote, referencing the 2022 Oscars slap.

Inaba had harshly judged Johnson and her partner Harry Shum Jr. for including a lift in their samba, telling Shum Jr. to "put more content in [his] dances." The "DWTS" statement regarding Chmerkovskiy's suspension read, "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."

Chmerkovskiy later explained his absence, stating his "instinct" was to defend his wife, and he made a "poor decision to reference a meme... without stopping to think through what else that reference could imply." He expressed regret that Inaba was "caught in the middle of my bad judgment."

Chmerkovskiy and Johnson, who married in 2019, have a 3-year-old son, Rome Valentin.