Is Maksim Chmerkovskiy Leaving Dancing With The Stars?

Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a pro dancer on Dancing With The Stars, is expecting his first child in January. And he told The Daily Dish that this means the end of his time on the show — for now, at least (we're still waiting to see if he'll gun for a judge position). He plans to be a stay-at-home dad while his wife, Peta Murgatroyd, another dancer who also used to star on DWTS, continues working. The show will start filming soon after the baby is born, and he's chosen to prioritize his family. "The baby comes in January, and then a month and a half later I would have to be in L.A. to start training with somebody else," he explained. "Trust me, I really don’t care how this comes across, but there’s no money on the planet that can replace me missing out the three, four, five months of my baby’s life. Zero chance." He expressed no regret about leaving and seems excited for the next phase of his life. "I can’t wait for all of this, diapers, and all of this stuff," he said. "I can’t wait for Peta to pursue her goals and whatever and I just want to be a stay-at-home dad." We may miss him, but ultimately fans are supporting his decision and sharing his excitement.