Chmerkovskiy and Murgatroyd to Both Be On Dancing With the Stars Season 24

They announced their return to the show together on Good Morning America, although he had earlier said he would not be competing this season following the birth of their son.

While rumors fly thick and fast on which celebrities will be on the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars, stories are also coming about their professional partners. Already the most successful of them, Derek Hough, has ruled himself out for this season. Maksim Chmerkovskiy, too, earlier said he wouldn’t do the show, but stay home with his new son. But now, about a month and a half since fiancée Peta Murgatroyd gave birth, he’s changed his mind. Tuesday the two of them appeared on Good Morning America to announce they’re both in:

It may, by the way, be only now they’re absolutely certain the show will have them back. The professionals can never be sure the show’s producers have paired them with anyone until they get a call, although it’s hard to imagine the show would pass up a chance to have Maks back. Peta’s pretty popular too. With a week to go until the cast announcement, partner assignments have almost certainly happened by now.

It’s perhaps a little surprising for both, but more so for Maks. Not only did he earlier say he wasn’t doing this season, but both the last two seasons he did were “coming out of retirement” gigs, and he went back in after winning his only Mirrorball in season 15. But then again, it may simply be that he’s never going to make his retirement stick. As for Peta, even if she isn’t 100% back in shape come week 1, contestants on this show have danced through far worse. We expected to see her again sooner or later.

Since Shai’s birth, we’ve seen a ridiculous amount of adorableness from these two, including in the above clip. Hopefully we’ll see more, even if he isn’t old enough to spend much time in the ballroom yet. It’s actually ridiculously sweet, to see the likes of Maks Chmerkovskiy melt and become such a big softie over his son.

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Dancing with the Stars will announce their full cast for the new season on March 1.