A perfect fit. Peta Murgatroyd has a job in mind for her husband, fellow Dancing With the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
Following longtime judge Len Goodman’s exit from the competition series after 31 seasons, Murgatroyd, 36, reacted to fans’ wishes that her husband — whom she tied the knot with in 2017 after five years of dating — should take his spot as a judge alongside Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli.
“Of course. He would love to do that. I don’t know. I think that’s his next step,” she exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, March 7, while promoting her Peta Jane Beauty line. “I think that he’s born to do that stuff. He loves to talk. You know Maks, he will talk your ear off.”
The dancer — who shares 6-year-old son Shai with Chmerkovskiy, 43 — continued: “He will give you advice. He will, like, lecture you. That’s the type of guy he is. He’s got so much passion behind what he says, and I think that that’s, you know, the perfect spot for him. But we’ll see.”
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd Mediapunch/Shutterstock
When it comes to whether she’s interested in returning to the ballroom herself, Murgatroyd told Us, “I would love to be, if they want me. I’m here, I’m willing. I’ll give birth and jump back in within, you know, the seven weeks that I did with Shai. I went back with Nick Viall that season, and I would gladly do it again.”
Currently pregnant with her Chmerkovskiy’s second child, the two-time mirrorball trophy winner joined DWTS for season 13 in 2011. Among her several years of competition, she gave birth to Shai in between seasons 23 and 24 and took a break following season 25 in 2017. She returned for season 28 in 2019 and competed for two more seasons before taking another break in 2020. She appeared in the series’ most recent 31st season last year, coming in 16th place with partner Jason Lewis.
In addition to his several years as a pro dancer on the show, Chmerkovskiy has also racked up judging experience as a guest judge on DWTS and has served as a judge on the Ukrainian version of the show — Tantsi z zirkamy — since 2021.
While awaiting the birth of their second child, the couple recently became an aunt and uncle with the birth of Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson’s son, Rome, in January. “He is such a doll. Oh my gosh,” Murgatroyd told Us of her newborn nephew. “I need to go and see him again. I haven’t seen him for a couple weeks, but he is so cute. They’re doing so well. I’m so proud of them. You know, they’re both dotting parents. They’re just so in love with him, and he’s just, he’s so cute and chubby right now.”
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd MediaPunch/Shutterstock
Having kids close together in age is something the performer said has been a dream for both of their families. “This is what we’ve always wanted. This is what, you know, the boys wanted,” she shared. “It’s just such a special time for everybody to think, and there’s new babies everywhere.”
She went on to note that several of her DWTS colleagues are also pregnant at the moment, including Daniella Karagach, Witney Carson and Lindsay Arnold. Not to mention, Sharna Burgess welcomed her first child, 8-month-old Zane, with her boyfriend, Brian Austin Green, in June 2022.
While chatting with Us, Murgatroyd also shared that her Peta Jane Beauty line products are pregnancy-friendly, stating, “Everyone’s skin type is different. Everybody’s hormonal system is very different with balancing things. For me, it’s been great. There’s a ton of pregnant women that use it.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi