Val Chmerkovskiy is returning to the ballroom for Season 31 of Dancing With the Stars, while wife and fellow Dancing pro Jenna Johnson is looking forward to watching his weekly routines from the sidelines this season.
“I’m just the spouse now,” Jenna, who’s currently expecting hers and Val’s first child, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, September 7. “I just get to be supportive.”
While Utah native Jenna — who finished in second place with her dance partner JoJo Siwa during Season 30 last year — will be sitting out the inaugural Disney+ season, Ukraine native Val is returning to the show to teach Bachelorette Gabby Windey how to cha cha, foxtrot and jive.
“I had to tell [Val] who she was [at first] because obviously I’m a massive Bachelor fan,” Jenna said. “I think that they are going to be perfect together on the show.”
Jenna added, “I love her personality. I love her work ethic and I think their banter is gonna be hysterical ’cause he’s suave and she’s just like real so I think it’s gonna be hysterical. I just know from their little progress of rehearsing already before the premiere that they are ready and she’s in it to win it.”
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While Jenna — who won the mirrorball trophy in Season 26 with dancing partner Adam Rippon — has not attended any of Val and Gabby‘s practices, she gushed over their progress after watching a few videos sent by her husband.
“The excitement that Val has when he comes home after rehearsal has just been so fun to see and so inspiring,” the So You Think You Can Dance alum noted. “Like he has somebody that’s capable of going all the way, you know? So I cannot wait. He’s never had anybody from Bachelor Nation and I’m like, ‘Oh, get ready, they are committed and they love their people on the show.’”
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Fans of Dancing With The Stars should be familiar by now with the “Bachelor Effect” the dating program has on voting for this show’s dancers. Bachelor Nation is known for being loyal to its stars and have been known to propel several past stars all the way to the Mirror Ball Trophy. Among past Bachelor Nation winners of Dancing With The Stars are Melissa Rycroft, Hannah Brown and Kaitlyn Bristowe. Gabby is surely hoping to get that same level of support from Bachelor fans.
Dancing With the Stars premieres on Disney+ Monday, September 19, at 8 p.m. ET.
TELL US- ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING GABBY ON DANCING WITH THE STARS? DO YOU THINK SHE HAS A CHANCE OF WINNING?
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