Maksim Chmerkovskiy is making sure Dancing with the Stars fans don't blame his October 2 performance-show absence on his Season 25 celebrity partner, Vanessa Lachey.
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"I take full responsibility for my absence and want to apologize to my partner Vanessa. We are both looking forward to dancing for our fans next week!"
Maksim missed Vanessa's "guilty pleasure" dance this week due to an undisclosed "personal issue," prompting speculation there was conflict between Dancing with the Stars partners given they both have big and outspoken personalities.
An insider had told People that Maksim and the 36-year-old TV personality and former beauty queen were "fighting a lot" in rehearsals and had "a big chemistry issue."
However, both Vanessa and Maksim took to social media earlier this week suggesting no problem ever existed between them, or they at least talked through their issues recently and buried the hatchet.
"I can't WAIT to get started tomorrow with @maksimc on week 4!" Vanessa wrote Monday on Instagram following the latest Dancing with the Stars performance show in which she took the stage with previously-eliminated pro dancer Alan Bersten, who filled in for Maksim. "We're cookin up something special for you!"
The very next day, Maksim gave his celebrity partner a shout-out on Twitter.
"New week! VEEEEERY excited for @DancingABC new dance studio and new dance with @VanessaLachey !" he wrote. "Can't wait to be back at the Ballroom!"
Speculation of conflict did surprise many Dancing with the Stars viewers to begin with, as Maksim and Vanessa appeared to joke around and work well together during rehearsals. The pair also received consistently high judges' scores for their routines since the start of the ABC reality dancing competition last month.
Vanessa and Maksim were also shown bonding over being parents, as Vanessa is mom to three kids and the pro dancer just welcomed his first child, a son, with Peta Murgatroyd -- who is partnered with Vanessa's husband Nick Lachey -- in January 2017.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
