Maksim’s revelations come after insiders recently referred to DWTS as a “shit show.”
Dancing With the Stars season 34 just debuted, but there’s been no shortage of (alleged) drama. Amid claims about this season being a “shit show” behind the scenes and Alec Baldwin’s “nightmare” behavior on set, another bombshell surrounding the reality TV competition has dropped — and it came straight from some former DWTS pros.
During a tell-all interview with the Daily Mail, former DWTS pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy spilled major tea on the current season. Maks — who happens to be pro Jenna Johnson’s brother-in-law — weighed in on the reported rift between her and her celeb partner, Corey Feldman, confirming what many fans already believed to be true.
In short: This season has been “really difficult for her.”
Allow us to catch you up to speed: Corey reportedly went MIA and missed five days of rehearsal after his casting announcement was made on Good Morning America. Jenna revealed she “hadn’t seen him since” the taping in an Instagram Story shared on September 6.
Then, they reunited just in time for rehearsals on September 8 — and even posted this TikTok as proof:
“All the cast show up, you know, all smiles and say how great they are together and ‘we’re friends’…but that’s surface. Sometimes it’s not the case,” Maks told the Daily Mail in light of the recent TikTok post.
Maks went on to add, “Obviously, Jenna has a bit of an uphill climb with Corey, which is easy for everybody to say…but I know that she’s having a much more difficult time with this entire thing and to the point that it is really difficult for her.”
The former DWTS pro even revealed why he thinks Corey might be “struggling” with learning choreography, as he received one of the lowest scores of the night during the season premiere.
“I think that it’s a combination [of technique and work ethic]. Maybe it’s not such a comfort zone for him,” Maks said, adding that other factors, like interviews, therapy sessions, and rehearsal time, play into the experience.
And apparently, Jenna isn’t the only pro having a tough time with their celeb partner. According to an unnamed insider, Jenna’s fellow pro dancer husband, Val Chmerkovskiy — who is paired up with influencer and podcaster Alix Earle this season — is also feeling the struggle.
“Val and Jenna are miserable,” the source shared, “but they have been specifically warned by producers: ‘We don’t complain about our celebrity participants.'”
