Maks Chmerkovskiy & Peta Murgatroyd Share Tough News

Getty Peta Murgatroyd and Maks Chmerkovskiy

“Dancing With the Stars” couple Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd shared some sad news with fans on their latest social media posts — Murgatroyd had to fly back to Australia for a “family emergency.”

Here’s what we know so far:

Maks Chmerkovskiy Says a ‘Family Emergency’ Forced Him to Cancel on Judging a Dance Competition

In an Instagram post, Chmerkovskiy apologized to the World Dance Organization (WDO) and the Naples Open, which is an international dance competition held in Naples, Italy, for having to cancel on judging the competition due to a “family emergency.”

“I am absolutely gutted that I am unable to be with you this weekend. @petamurgatroyd and I have a family emergency which changed all of our plans and made it impossible for me to travel,” wrote Chmerkovskiy.

He added:

To the organizers, my only wish for you is to have an incredible, problem-free event. Thank you for the invitation and I really hope to partake in the future.

To my fellow adjudicators, it is always a huge honor sharing the sideline with you all and I can not wait to be with you all again soon!

To all the dancers, if you know me personally you know I am a huge fan of dancers, especially when they’re presenting their art, especially when giving it their all at highly competitive events. I am going to miss watching you all, especially the battle for World Ballroom Latin supremacy during WDO World Professional Latin Championship. Break a leg, clear your mind and put on an amazing show!

Chmerkovskiy finished by writing, “Family comes first, even if it changes your plans. Love, Maks.”

Peta Murgatroyd Has Flown to Australia to Be With Her Family

On her Instagram stories, Murgatroyd shared with her followers that she had to fly home to her native country of Australia.

“In Melbourne and waiting on connecting flight to Perth,” she wrote in her stories. “Seriously cannot wait to see my fam. Bro picking me up from the airport.” She added that she is missing Maks and their son Shai.

Murgatroyd elaborated slightly in an Instagram live Q&A, telling her fans, “I’m leaving to Australia tonight, I have to deal with some stuff in Australia with my dad, so I’m going for a week.”

The professional dancer previously shared with her followers that her father is sick with an illness she did not disclose. In May 2022, she posted to her Instagram stories, “I flew to Australia to be with my family. Sorry, I’ve been MIA, I just don’t have it in me to be on here right now. My dad isn’t doing the best, so I just want to spend every minute with him, and of course, my mother and brother.”

In a separate Instagram story, she shared how hard it was to miss Mother’s Day with her son, but she really needed that family time without her husband and son there so she could be more present for her father.

“I missed [Shai] dreadfully, but I wouldn’t have had the same experience with my family if I was there as a mother and a wife as well,” said the dancer. “I was just there as Peta, the sister, and the daughter, and we said to each other when we were all sitting in the living room together with my brother Sam that this hasn’t happened in over 10 years, which is quite something. Maybe even 15. The last time we all sat in the living room together just us four was so long ago and it’s sad.”

She later added, “My experience wouldn’t have been the same [with Maks and Shai there], and I’m glad that I did it without my other family so I could have that really special time that I may not get back again.”

Murgatroyd and her father are obviously close. On Father’s Day 2020, she posted a tribute to him on Instagram with a series of photos of them together and she captioned it, “I love you so much. You mean the world to me. Happy Father’s Day to the best dad and one who always showed me love and guidance through kindness and selflessness. I can’t wait to see you again.”

Our thoughts are with Murgatroyd and her family.