Maks Chmerkovskiy Shares Why He Doesn’t Want Peta Murgatroyd to Return to DWTS

Peta Murgatroyd may be ready to hit the “Dancing With the Stars” dance floor again, but her husband, Maks Chmerkovskiy, isn’t entirely on board with the idea. Chmerkovskiy shares his reasons for wanting Murgatroyd to sit the next season out.

Maks Chmerkovskiy Doesn’t Think Peta Murgatroyd Should Return to DWTS Yet

During a July 17, 2025 interview with “Entertainment Tonight,” Chmerkovskiy was asked about the likelihood of Murgatroyd joining season 34 of “Dancing With the Stars.”

The former “DWTS” pro jokingly confessed that having her leave home to compete on the show would leave him on full-time stay-at-home dad duty.

The interviewer asked, “I know Peta has expressed interest in returning to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ in this upcoming season. Are we inching closer to it? Is the deal signed? What can you tease?”

Chmerkovskiy gave a reality check about how busy they are with kids these days. “Peta, she’s eyeballs in kids right now,” he joked. “So I don’t know what she’s talking about.”

“But that means that I have to take on the 10 more hours of kid stuff [if Murgatroyd does ‘DWTS],” he said. “No, honestly, we’re in that like, pass the child phase of our lives.”

Chmerkovskiy said they do have “a lot” of help with their kids, however, calling it “zone defense.”

Peta Murgatroyd Reveals She’s Ready to Return to ‘DWTS’

In a June 2025 interview with Us Weekly, Murgatroyd discussed a possible return to “DWTS” season 34 after taking a break to spend time with her family.

The dance pro welcomed her third child last year and wasn’t ready for season 33 of the dance competition, but says she feels like she’s up for the challenge now.

“Right now, I do feel like I have a bit of a weight lifted off my shoulders,” Murgatroyd said. “I’ve gotten through that first, you know, newborn stage again. So I feel like I would be ready to go back.”

She continued, “I love the show. I love what it’s about. I love training people [and] teaching them how to dance. I love the performance aspect of it.”

Murgatroyd confirmed at the time, “So, yes, if they did come to me and want me back, I would say yes.”

In a June 5 “Chit Chat GRWM” Instagram video, Murgatroyd wore her “Dancing With the Stars” personalized robe while applying makeup.

“Makes me feel like I am back in the trailers … I very much miss being on that show,” she shared.