“I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally, and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside of our internal DWTS family. I should have never made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it. I recognize that I am in a fortunate position to have a platform and to be a role model to some, and I need to treat that with more care by actively pausing to think before I post to ensure what I am sharing aligns with who I am, and who I want to be for you all.”

Val Chmerkovskiy · said 2026-10-16 · reported 2026-10-17

Chmerkovskiy continued his Instagram apology, saying he had reached out to Inaba directly and regretted making the reference.