Val Chmerkovskiy is a two-time Mirror Ball champion, and now he’s preparing for this latest role- fatherhood.
He’s expecting a baby boy with his wife, and fellow “DWTS” professional dancer, Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy.
“I’m so excited. It’s been quite a journey for us. We’ve been through a few tough years,” he explained. “This is a beautiful blessing that we’ve been hoping for for a long time.”
On this season of “DWTS” Chmerkovskiy is partnered with Gabby Windey of “The Bachelorette.” The pair are hoping to nab that Mirror Ball trophy.
“The bachelorettes have a long history of having some success on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Gabby is proving to be walking in line with that success,” he said. “I’m really proud to be her coach and her partner.”
Chmerkovskiy pointed out her great performance during this season’s James Bond night.
“I’m proud of her and excited, hopefully, for the next few weeks of competing,” he said. “She’s got all the tools and has got a great work ethic.”
Teaching someone how to professionally ballroom dance in a short amount of time can have its challenges, but Chmerkovskiy said Windey is game for the challenge.
“In Gabby’s case, she’s a really good student. She’s got a great facility for dance,” he continued. “She’s a great personality, there’s a reason why they gave her ‘The Bachelorette’ franchise to carry. She’s a star in my eyes, and I’m excited to take her on this dancing journey.”
“Dancing with the Stars” airs live on Mondays at 5 p.m. on Disney+.