India, Oct. 18 -- Dancing With The Stars Season 35 has hit an unexpected controversy after professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy was suspended from the upcoming episode following an offensive social media post. The 40-year-old dancer will miss the show's much-anticipated Dedication Night after making a reference to the infamous Will Smith Oscars slap while defending his wife, fellow professional dancer Jenna Johnson.

The incident has also led to a change in the dance lineup, with Jenna Dewan set to perform with professional dancer Alan Bersten instead of Chmerkovskiy. The decision marks the first suspension of a professional dancer in the show's history.

Chmerkovskiy has since apologised to DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba and acknowledged th...