ABC Val Chmerkovskiy plans to return for season 33.
Is Val Chmerkovskiy ready to hang up his dancing shoes? Not yet. The season 32 pro champ (who won alongside actress Xochitl Gomez) isn’t ready to say goodbye to “Dancing With the Stars” just yet.
In an interview with Us Weekly following the season 32 finale, Chmerkovskiy said that he is hoping to return for season 33.
“Listen, if they had me back, I’d love to be back. It’s going to be a tough season to follow,” he said. He also opened up about what it was like to win the Mirrorball Trophy for a third time.
“It feels great. This one feels a little different. It’s been seven years since I was able to be lucky enough to win and to win it with this young lady. Man, she carried us all season. She made me look great as a teacher [and] as a partner,” he said.
Here’s what you need to know:
Val Chmerkovskiy Expressed Having a Different Experience on Season 32
There was something incredibly special about season 32 of “Dancing With the Stars” for Chmerkovskiy — something that may have reinvigorated him to continue forward with the show.
“We’re excited about what we’re doing. That’s how you get through it. We love this thing,” he told People magazine in November 2023. “That’s why we’re here. That’s why we’re doing it at the level that we’re doing it. Because we love it,” he continued.
“Even seasons where I was successful and I did have great runs that even ended up in winning, a lot of them were really stressful and not as fun. The product was great and I got to celebrate afterwards, but looking back, I’m always like, ‘Damn, I wish I really enjoyed that a little more,'” Chmerkovskiy admitted.
His bond with Gomez was undeniable and their chemistry was something that many fans hadn’t witnessed on the show before. Beyond that, Chmerkovskiy expressed having a different time on season 32 because he’s had so many changes recently; the biggest, of course, is that he became a dad in January 2023.
“It’s definitely elevated my joy for life. My joy for my family. And every day I learn something new being a father. I can’t be more grateful and more fortunate with how that all turned out,” he told E! News in June 2023.
Val Chmerkovskiy Previously Said He’d ‘Probably’ Leave After Season 30
Interestingly, Chmerkovskiy was ready to walk away from “Dancing With the Stars” after season 30.
“I’ve always been very clear about coming back on the show. I love being on it. I am so grateful for the opportunity, is this my last season? Probably. Probably. I have no regrets about my tenure on the show. I have no regrets about the season,” he told ET in 2021. He was partnered with Olivia Jade for that season.
“There’s no burned bridges, there’s nothing but gratitude, again, with the production, with the show. I hope I’ve served the show and this show has definitely changed my life, so it’s mutually love and we’ll see what happens in the future,” he added.
But that wasn’t even close to the end for Chmerkovskiy. He competed on season 31 with “Bachelorette” star Gabby Windey and the two finished in second place. Coming back for season 32, Chmerkovskiy finished in first.
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