Maksim Chmerkovskiy Reveals Whether He Would Return to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ (Exclusive)

Former Dancing with the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy has promised he wouldn’t return to the hit dance competition on more than one occasion. But now that he’s been off the ABC ballroom floor since 2018, fans are wondering if there’s any chance he’ll ever return. As the choreographer prepares to hit the road with his brother and fellow Dancing With the Stars pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy for their Maks & Val: Stripped Down tour starting July 24, Chmerkovskiy addressed whether he would come back as a judge or if he’s wiping his hands clean.

“Oh, a judge? Yeah, of course,” the 41-year-old said of the possibility to return if the opportunity presented itself as former pro, Derek Hough’s stint as a judge alongside Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Len Goodman is currently up in the air. “Would I not want to sit and give my opinion about dancing on the show where I also infamously gave my opinion about —” he said before his brother, Val interjected, “Dancing…”

Chmerkovskiy joined the show in 2006 but decided to tap out in 2013, only to return three years later in 2016. But after a two-year ride, he made a statement in 2018 vowing not to return as he had other opportunities to pursue. However, he had popped on-and-off the show a few times since he sat in as a guest judge during episodes on Season 17, 21, and 22. However, it sounds like he’s up to make that a permanent role if he were offered the opportunity.

As for his brother Val, it’s still a big question on whether he’ll return as a pro or not. But he did confess while he cannot confirm or deny whether he will, he did note he would love the opportunity. “I love the show. I am ambitious beyond the show, but that doesn’t make me less grateful for the show. I’m so grateful that I have this family and this project to still go to every year and continue to serve it as a dancer, as a teacher,” Val added before noting that, unlike his brother, he’s “not trying to judge.”

Until it’s revealed whether either of the brothers will return, they are keeping busy as they gear up to hit the road for their Maks & Val: Stripped Down tour. If you’re probably wondering how “stripped down” they’ll get, Chmerkovskiy teased he will “take [his] pants off,” but his brother Val finds their show to be more “emotional” than Magic Mike-like. “Just think about this: ‘stripped-down,’ meaning, not just like, yes, I will take my pants off — I will attempt to,” Chmerkovskiy joked, “Val hates when I say that because Val is coming into this ‘stripping down’ emotionally. I thought I’m going to take my shirt off, but the reality is that it’s us and two partners, and they’re incredible artists.”

He did note how the pros they’ll be touring with this summer are not their wives, Peta Murgatroyd or Jenna Johnson, respectively. The brothers head out on July 24 and will tour across the country. For more details on how you can get tickets, visit their website here.