Longtime “Dancing With the Stars” pro Val Chmerkovskiy has done 20 seasons of the show. With three Mirrorball Trophies under his belt, some fans often wonder when he will retire, perhaps opting to spend more time at home or pursue some other career opportunities.
But while Chmerkovskiy may have seemed on his way out a few years ago, his love for the show has been reinvigorated as of late — and he isn’t going anywhere just yet.
“I want to beat this body up as much as I can, you know, I want to squeeze every ounce of what I can. I love to dance. So, yeah, I mean, I think I have a couple of seasons left,” Chmerkovskiy said on the December 3 episode of the “Lightweights” podcast.
Chmerkovskiy has won the Mirrorball with Rumer Willis, Laurie Hernandez, and Xochitl Gomez.
Val Chmerkovskiy Predicted He’d Leave DWTS After Season 30
It’s been a bit of a wild ride for Chmerkovskiy, who has been on “Dancing With the Stars” since season since season 13. Not only has he gone through it with his older brother, Maks Chmerkovskiy, but he also found his wife, Jenna Johnson, through the show.
After more than a decade, however, Chmerkovskiy seemed ready to say goodbye to the reality TV competition show after season 30.
“I’ve always been very clear about coming back on the show. I love being on it. I am so grateful for the opportunity, is this my last season? Probably. Probably. I have no regrets about my tenure on the show. I have no regrets about the season,” he told ET in 2021.
“There’s no burned bridges, there’s nothing but gratitude, again, with the production, with the show. I hope I’ve served the show and this show has definitely changed my life, so it’s mutually love and we’ll see what happens in the future,” he added.
Of course, he’s been back every season since, and even added another Mirrorball to his collection since then.
Val Chmerkovskiy Was Excited to Return for Season 33
After season 32, many fans figured that Chmerkovskiy would be done with the show, going out with a bang. However, he made it clear after the season was over that he wanted to be bacl.
“Listen, if they had me back, I’d love to be back. It’s going to be a tough season to follow,” he told Us Weekly in December 2023.
“It feels great. This one feels a little different. It’s been seven years since I was able to be lucky enough to win and to win it with this young lady. Man, she carried us all season. She made me look great as a teacher [and] as a partner,” he added.
But, when the time does come for Chmerkovskiy to retire, he’ll be ready for the next chapter. During his chat with Joe Vulpis on “Lightweights,” Chmerkovskiy made it clear that he’d love to serve as a judge on the show.
