Maksim Chmerkovskiy -- the bad boy of the ballroom -- is coming out of his Dancing with the Stars retirement!
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Maksim is returning to Dancing with the Stars for its upcoming 23rd season. He confirmed his participation both on Twitter and during a Thursday announcement on Good Morning America.
"The last 12 years, everything that happened in my life had some sort of relationship to the show," Maksim said of Dancing with the Stars during his GMA appearance.
Maksim insisted he was done with Dancing with the Stars -- other than occasionally appearing as a guest judge -- once he finally won a mirrorball trophy with celebrity partner Meryl Davis in Season 18 back in Spring 2014.
But after a wonderful experience touring with his little brother Val Chmerkovskiy in their own show, Maksim said, "I just wanted this to continue, the feeling, the positivity, so much love out there."
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He also told Us Weekly that he's feeling better than ever after the brothers' tour and therefore feels fit enough to enter the physically-taxing Dancing with the Stars competition.
"Getting back into shape allowed me to entertain this idea," Maksim told the magazine. "I am in the best shape of my life, so why not spend a few months with my brother and the cast members and have fun!"
Maksim also has no problem competing against his brother Val, who won Season 20 of Dancing with the Stars with celebrity partner Rumer Willis in Spring 2015.
"We've done that before for a bit of time. Rightfully so, I feel like he's become the star of the show, and that's not going to change. I'm just coming in to do my thing," Maksim sweetly explained on GMA.
"I'm just excited. The way it came together and the way I ended up on Dancing with the Stars as a pro this season is very different than any other season that I've done. I'm looking forward to that new way of being on the show."
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Maksim's fiancee and fellow veteran DWTS pro, Peta Murgatroyd, is currently pregnant with their first child.
"She's doing amazing and getting bigger and the baby is kicking and it's phenomenal," Maksim gushed.
Before Maksim announced his official Dancing with the Stars return, eight of next season's 13 professional partners were revealed. The pros include Witney Carson and Gleb Savchenko.
The 13 celebrity contestants and remaining four pros will officially be announced August 30 on Good Morning America. Names of some of the celebrity contestants have already begun leaking out, such as The Bachelorette star JoJo Fletcher and Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, reportedly.
Dancing with the Stars is set to premiere Monday, September 12 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski