Maksim Chmerkovskiy Believes Val Chmerkovskiy And Peta Murgatroyd Are New ‘DWTS’ Headliners

Out with the old and in with the new. That’s what Maksim Chmerkovskiy is feeling about the pro dancers on Dancing with the Stars. In an interview with Wetpaint Entertainment, posted on Tuesday ahead of the Season 20 finale episode, Maks, who won the trophy ball on Season 18 with Olympic figure skater Meryl Davis, talked about who he wants to win and the new direction the show is going in.

Not surprisingly, Maks said that his brother, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, and his celeb partner, Rumer Willis, should win.

“I hope so. I really do. He’s a good kid, and he earned it, I think. By now Val earned it. Now, it’s not about the pros and blah, blah, blah, but come on. We all know the show is no longer just about the celebrities. It’s about the connection between the couples, it’s about two people doing beautiful things together, and it’s about compelling stories, and I think the partnership between Val and Rumer has everything. They have a lot of chemistry, they had ups and downs, they had a lot of growth on the show.”

While Maks believes that the other two finalist teams have also done incredible dances, he ultimately believes that Val and Rumer have the edge.

“I’m not saying the other couples are boring. Noah [Galloway] and Sharna [Burgess] are doing incredible things, and Riker’s [Lynch] a professional dancer, so clearly it’s going to be an amazing show put on by everybody… They put out an amazing product, Val and Rumer, every week. And it’s been awesome to watch. I think they’re relatable. I think a lot of people want to see [them win].”

Maksim Chmerkovskiy also added that Val Chmerkovskiy has worked incredibly hard through the years on the show.

“To be honest with you, I really wish that Val takes it this year because it will let him know that the effort was not in vain. Because he does work lots, he puts in a lot of effort, he puts a lot of stress on himself, and I want to see him get over that, get validated, and kind of move on as the new face of Dancing With the Stars.”

What does Maks mean by Val being “the new face” of Dancing With the Stars? Maks believes that Val, along with Peta Murgatroyd, are the new pro headliners of the show now that many of the veterans have left.

“I think he and Peta [Murgatroyd] kind of took over the billboards. They’re fresh faces, and rightfully so. I think it’s time for a change of guard. Cheryl [Burke] and myself, we left. Karina [Smirnoff] also is out. Derek [Hough] is the only one who’s stuck around, Derek and Tony [Dovolani]. But I think it’s the right time right now for Val to take it and move on and champion the show.”

It’s not clear how many more seasons Derek Hough and Tony Donvolani will do the show. Derek was originally going to sit Season 20 out, but came back in last-minute. As for Tony, he has implied that he’ll be a judge on the show in the future.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd are reportedly dating again. Peta actually lashed out on social media on Monday night after she was accused, perhaps by people who immediately thought of her relationship with Maks, of favoring Val Chmerkovskiy and Rumer Willis to win the season.

[Photo by Timothy Hiatt / Getty Images]