Heavy/Getty A DWTS cast member says he's been disappointed with the last few seasons.
Being on “Dancing With the Stars” hasn’t always been easy for Valentin Chmerkovskiy, who admits that he’d been frustrated in recent seasons of the show.
On the March 27, 2023, episode of the “Trading Secrets” podcast, Chmerkovskiy opened up a bit about how he had been feeling prior to season 31. He joined the show in 2011, and has won two Mirrorball Trophies, one in season 20 with Rumer Willis and another in season 23 with Laurie Hernandez. In the time since, however, Chmerkovskiy has been eliminated from the competition much earlier than he would like.
“A year ago, I was heartbroken with my experience on the show,” Chmerkovskiy told “Trading Secrets” host Jason Tartick. “Not because of the show,” he clarified. “Just my experience has been a long time since I felt the success I felt this season,” he added, referring to season 31.
Chmerkovskiy was partnered with “Bachelorette” star Gabby Windey and the two finished in second place. This is the first time that Chmerkovskiy made it to the finals since season 24.
Here’s what you need to know:
Val Chmerkovskiy Says He’s Really Happy With How Things Turned Out on Season 31
Chmerkovskiy and Windey nearly took home the Mirrorball Trophy, finishing the competition in second place. However, the overall experience was great for Chmerkovskiy who said he “couldn’t champion the show more” after the season ended.
The ballroom pro said that he had a conversation with the powers that be in hopes of being “better” for the program. That conversation went really well in his eyes, and he’s happy with the results.
Prior to season 31, Chmerkovskiy’s future on “Dancing With the Stars” was unclear. However, he seems to have had a change of heart in recent months.
“I don’t think I ever wanted to leave,” he told Parade in October 2022. “I said that it potentially could be my last season because it was a cocktail of different emotions. One emotion was, obviously, disappointment. That interview came right after I was eliminated last season. But mostly it came from just emotionally being exhausted,” he continued.
“I generally put my heart and soul into this project, I care about it immensely. I care about dance. Broadly speaking I care about being a good teacher and being a good ambassador of dance. But, also, I care about the show,” he added.
Val Chmerkovskiy & His Wife Jenna Johnson Are Likely to Compete on Season 32
Chmerkovskiy and his wife Jenna Johnson became parents in January 2023. The couple welcomed a baby boy named Rome and has been soaking up all of the baby’s firsts over the past couple of months.
Based on Chmerkovskiy’s sit-down on the “Trading Secrets” podcast, he seems committed to competing on DWTS in 2023 and beyond.
Meanwhile, Johnson chose not to compete on season 31 as she was pregnant, but she seems very interested in getting back in the ballroom when the show resumes in the fall of 2023.
“The show knows that I am in love with it, I still feel like I have many more seasons to give. And just because I’m a mom, doesn’t mean that I can’t still be working. I have some really great examples in my life of working moms. And I’ve always seen myself going back to work. So, I would love to be back on the show if they have me. But yeah, I keep a whisper always in their ear of, ‘Next season, next season,'” Johnson told Parade in October 2022.
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