Is ‘DWTS’ Pro Maks Chmerkovskiy Done With the Show?

Dancing With The Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy might be done with the long-running ABC dancing competition. Chmerkovskiy was noticeably missing from the pro lineup for the upcoming Spring 2018 season.

ABC unveiled the lineup of 10 pro stars for the all-athlete edition on Thursday. The group includes reigning mirror ball champion Lindsay Arnold, along with Sharna Burgess, Whitney Carson, Emma Slater, Gleb Savchenko, Artem Chigvintsev, Keo Mostepe, Alan Bersten, Jenna Johnson and Sasha Farber.

However, that collection of talent does not including Chmerkovskiy, his wife Peta Murgatroyd or his brother Val Chmerkovskiy. The trio are on their CONFIDENTIAL dance tour, which does not end until May 16 as previously reported in a PopCulture.com exclusive.

Last fall, there was some concern among fans that season 25 would be Chmerkovskiy’s last. He posted an emotional tribute to his dance partner, Vanessa Lachey, in which he hinted that his “journey” on DWTS might be ending.

“I’m very much a proud partner, coach and a friend,” he wrote to Lachey. “This was one of the most eventful seasons I’ve ever had and, if it were my last, I wouldn’t want this journey to end any other way.”

The note followed a dramatic season, as there were rumors Chmerkovskiy and Lachey did not get along, and he was missing during one of the live shows. The dancing couple made it to week seven, a week after his wife, Murgatroyd, and her husband, Nick Lachey, were eliminated.

Chmerkovskiy also refused to give a yes or no answer to MassLive.com when asked if he was returning to DWTS.

“Listen, I love the show, but I have other interests at the moment,” the dancer said. “I would have loved to judge and transition into that, but it’s not my call. It’s not up to me. Everything that is up to me, I do at 100 percent and then give it my all. I just don’t think I can do the show as a professional dancer at 100 percent and give it my all anymore. I am at a different point in my life.”

The 38-year-old Chmerkovskiy took part in 17 seasons of DWTS, and only won the mirror ball trophy once. At the end of season 18, he won with Olympic ice skater Meryl Davis. He also came in second in season five with Melanie Brown and season 12 with Kirstie Alley.

Chmerkovskiy and Murgatroyd married in July 2017, seven months after their son, Shai Aleksander, was born. Their next tour stop is today at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. The tour ends on May 16 at Smith Center in Las Vegas.

The new Dancing With The Stars season kicks off on Monday, April 30 at 8 p.m. ET.