Tensions are reportedly running high behind the scenes of Dancing With the Stars, with some professional dancers allegedly afraid of saying the wrong thing around longtime judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
The claims come weeks after fan-favorite dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, 40, was suspended for one episode following a controversial social media post about Inaba, 58, that appeared to reference Will Smith’s infamous Oscars slap.
Now, an insider claims the incident has left some members of the show’s dance troupe feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
“Nobody wants to be alone in a room with Carrie Ann. Everyone is walking on eggshells,” a source told RadarOnline. “One wrong comment, one misunderstood joke, and suddenly your career could be in jeopardy.”
Another insider claimed the dancers feel as though they’re “being treated like naughty children.”
The controversy began during the October 13 episode when Inaba criticized Chmerkovskiy’s wife, professional dancer Jenna Johnson, over a lift performed with her celebrity partner, actor Harry Shum Jr.
Johnson was reportedly upset by the criticism, prompting her husband to defend her in a since-deleted TikTok post.
“You almost saw Fresh Prince enter the ballroom last night,” Chmerkovskiy wrote.
The remark appeared to reference the shocking moment at the 2022 Academy Awards when Will Smith walked onstage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
The post quickly sparked backlash, and Dancing With the Stars producers took disciplinary action.
In a statement, BBC Studios described Chmerkovskiy’s remarks as inappropriate and emphasized that the safety and well-being of everyone involved with the production were a priority.
Chmerkovskiy was subsequently suspended from the October 20 broadcast, forcing his celebrity partner, Jenna Dewan, to perform with professional dancer Alan Bersten instead.
The longtime ballroom star later issued a public apology, admitting that his attempt to defend his wife had been poorly judged.
He explained that he had intended to reference a popular meme but failed to consider how his words might be interpreted. He also said he had personally reached out to Inaba to apologize.
Despite the controversy, Chmerkovskiy returned to the competition on October 27.
In a surprising development, he and Inaba were spotted sharing a lengthy hug and conversation during a commercial break, suggesting the two had begun putting their disagreement behind them.
Inaba also indicated that she and Johnson had addressed their differences following the original judging dispute.
Still, RadarOnline’s unnamed sources claim the episode has left some dancers concerned about the consequences of future disagreements.
Those allegations remain unverified, and there has been no independent confirmation of a widespread toxic backstage environment.
For a show built around dazzling performances, glittering costumes, and friendly competition, the controversy has become an unexpected offstage drama.
And while Chmerkovskiy and Inaba appear to have made peace, questions surrounding the reported backstage tensions continue to cast a shadow over the ballroom.