Jenna cheered on her husband and his partner, Gabby Windey, from the audience during the show's premiere.
Val Chmerkovskiy and his partner, Gabby Windey, got lots of love during the Dancing With the Stars season premiere. The 36-year-old longtime dance pro and the 31-year-old Bachelorette alum were cheered on by Val's pregnant wife, Jenna Johnson, and Gabby's Bachelorette co-star, Rachel Recchia, in the audience.
"That’s the game changer, you know, when you get married that becomes a part of your life, and having Jenna by my side --and Jenna loves Gabby the way she loves Gabby," Val tells ET's Matt Cohen after their performance.
"We love each other, me and Jenna," Gabby agrees. "I wish we could be partners."
The support from the fellow dance pro means that the reality TV contestant is getting some bonus help in the ballroom.
"She says she has two pros, two coaches, two teammates, so to have a wife that’s this supportive at this time in our life," Val explains of Jenna. "You know, she’s pregnant. We're expecting a child. Grateful is a word that gets said a lot, but I’m genuinely -- after the last three years of my life personally and generally for everyone -- I'm beyond thankful for what I get to experience."
Val and Gabby impressed the judges with their jive to Harry Styles' hit, "As It Was," on premiere night.
"I think we feel good. I don't know, happy to be here, obviously... I have a really great teacher and partner," Gabby gushes to ET of working with Val.
Val adds, "I’m excited to be part of this show, you know? I've been on this show for 12 years now and I’m excited to have a partner and that gives me a chance to dance and gives me a chance to go all the way. I really believe in this partnership. I’m grateful for her work ethic, her attitude, and her fan base."
"Mostly the fan base," Gabby jokes.
Val and Jenna announced they were expecting their first child together back in July. They later revealed they were having a baby boy.
Jenna previously told ET's Kevin Frazier that she had wanted to return to the ballroom while pregnant.
"Here's the weird thing, since being pregnant, I've felt more inspired than ever, but I think once the fall comes around I'll be pretty far along, so, I think safety-wise, it's best I don't," she said at the time. "But my mind is like, 'Oh yeah I could do it.'"
Dancing With the Stars streams live Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Disney+.
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