“It’ll Always Be Home”: Maksim Chmerkovskiy Opens Up About Returning to DWTS

When it comes to returning to the ballroom, former Dancing With the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy isn’t ruling out the possibility. 

The DWTS alum, 45, opened up about the topic while chatting exclusively with Parade at the 32nd annual Race to Erase MS Gala at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Friday, May 16. 

“I would love to be a judge, to answer your first question, for sure, but I think I'm not the only one,” he said. “I do think that I would bring something unique to the panel, now that we are who we are in life and all that, and that's honestly missing.”

He added: “To be honest, a little Maks is missing, but the show is fantastic. It's an iconic thing — 35 seasons, overcoming a couple of ups and downs. It's incredible to feel even associated, and for so long. So yeah, I'm lucky, and if they call I'll answer, for sure.”

Chmerkovskiy’s wife and fellow DWTS pro Peta Murgatroyd, who was also in attendance and spoke exclusively to Parade, echoed her husband’s enthusiasm for a potential return to the franchise, which is entering its 34th season. After giving birth to baby No. 3 in 2024, Murgatroyd, 38, announced that she wouldn’t be returning for Season 33, which premiered in September that year. Meanwhile, Chmerkovskiy exited the show back in 2018.

“I would love to [come back],” she said. “If they call then yeah, sign me up!”

The pair were amongst the A-listers in attendance at Friday night’s soiree, which was hosted by multiple sclerosis (MS) advocate and Center Without Walls founder Nancy Davis. The event raised over $1.5 million to benefit Race to Erase MS and its Center Without Walls program to help fund treatments and find a cure for MS. 

Hosted by Caroline Rhea, the gala also featured performances by Robin Thicke, A Great Big World and Siedah Garrett along with a Veronica Beard fashion show.

“This is our 32nd year. We've done a lot of these. It's nothing short of a miracle that everyone's still coming out,” Davis said. “We have 25 drugs on the market now to help stop the progression of MS, so somebody being diagnosed today versus when I was diagnosed, the future's bright. There's so much. I think we've raised around $60 million, but we've spent it very carefully and we have some amazing drugs on the market. They're really helping a lot of people live a different quality of life, so I'm really grateful that we can do that."