‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Val Chmerkovskiy Tests Positive for COVID-19, Out of ‘DWTS’ Next Week

usmagazine.com:

Val Chmerkovskiy will not be participating in Dancing With the Stars next Monday after testing positive for COVID-19.“I got some bad news.

I, unfortunately, tested positive for covid and will not be able to perform this Monday,” the dancer, 36, shared via Instagram on Friday, October 28. “It sucks majorly for lack of a better, more profound word.”The mirror ball champion shared that his partner Gabby Windey tested negative, and the pair will remain in the competition. Alan Bersten will step up to take Chmerkovskiy’s place and dance with the former Bachelorette, 31.

Bersten, 28, was paired up with Jessie James Decker this season, but the twosome was eliminated from the Disney+ competition series last week.“This is a huge bummer, I’m very disappointed,” Chmerkovskiy said. “I feel like I let some people down.”The World Latin Dance Champion revealed he was “really looking forward” to performing on the show’s Halloween-themed night next week with an Argentine tango routine he “really loves.” The Ukraine native shared he feels fine and plans on returning to the competition next week as long as the fans vote for the couple to continue dancing, referring to the situation as a “minor setback for a major comeback.”Windey and Chmerkovskiy performed a romantic rumba in last week’s episode and earned a 46/50.

Chmerkovskiy’s wife, Jenna Johnson, stepped in during last week’s rehearsals to help the pair connect for the dance.