Maks Chmerkovskiy shared his honest thoughts about the possibility of returning to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom.
“I think that boat has sailed,” Chmerkovskiy, 45, said during an Access Hollywood interview with his wife, Peta Murgatroyd, a fellow DWTS pro. “My comeback is in the distant past.”
Chmerkovskiy explained that his hesitation doesn’t come from doubting his dancing abilities. “Can I do it? I’m looking forward to so much more dancing out of my body,” he continued. “I’m in maintenance every day for the last 25 years. I don’t see where that’s going to go, and I’m looking forward to creative processes. But I think Dancing With the Stars is a moving entity, and it just needs to move. And we all just moved a little bit [in] different directions.”
While he wasn’t “saying that I wouldn’t want to” go back to the dance competition, Chmerkovskiy emphasized that the show is in a new era.
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“I just don’t think there would be space for me, especially in the format that it is today. I can’t fathom doing so much social media, and without it, how do you win?” he said.
The couple’s family life is also a factor. Chmerkovskiy and Murgatroyd, 39, share three children: Shai, 8, Rio, 2, and Milan, 16 months.
“With the kids, it’s so hard. It’s very tough,” the proud dad added.
Chmerkovskiy first appeared on DWTS during season 2 in 2006. He competed on 15 seasons, winning the mirrorball trophy with partner Meryl Davis during season 18 in 2014. Chmerkovskiy later took a break from the ballroom, returning for seasons 23, 24 and 25. He confirmed in 2018 that his time as a pro was done.
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Murgatroyd, for her part, won DWTS twice throughout her 15 seasons. She last appeared on season 32 in 2023, competing with actor Barry Williams.
When asked whether she would consider making a comeback, Murgatroyd said she liked the idea of having one last hurrah in the ballroom.
“If they asked me, I think I would,” she told Access Hollywood. “After having kids, you definitely doubt yourself about, ‘Can you do it?’ I know I can dance. It’s a matter of putting the time aside and knowing that you’re gonna be away from your kids for three months, and you have to be OK with that.”
Chmerkovskiy told his wife she would have his “150 percent support” if the opportunity came up. “Only if you get a partner who can do something,” he joked.
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While the pair haven’t stepped on the DWTS stage for some time, they made waves for commentary about the show this year. Maks called out first-time pro Jan Ravnik, claiming the Taylor Swift backup dancer had “no business” being on DWTS.
Their family is still well represented on the show, however. Val Chmerkovskiy and his wife, Jenna Johnson, continue to heat up the ballroom with their celebrity partners.
When season 34 ended last month, Val, 39, landed in second place with influencer Alix Earle, losing out to Robert Irwin and pro Witney Carson.
“I think that if they [won], I would be super happy,” Maks said while reflecting on Val and Alix’s result. “I think there would be millions — I mean, I don’t know the numbers — but it seems like there would be a lot of people that would also celebrate their win. … I think it was neck and neck.”
