Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

Val Chmerkovskiyis back on his feet.

The"Dancing with the Stars"pro gave fans an update on his health after sharing that he had been hospitalized for vertigo between performances on theshow's live tour.

"So I got BPPV, which isn't too bad, thank God. There's no tumor in my brain, God forbid," the 39-year-old said in avideo posted to social mediaon March 3.

He continued, "And thankfully, it's not related to my neck injury. And so having ruled those things out, I feel a lot better."

Two days earlier, the dancer shared avideofrom his hospital bed in Peoria, Illinois, revealing that he had been experiencingvertigo, a false sense of motion.

"I'm just spinning everywhere," he said.

BPPV, short for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, is the most common cause of vertigo and includes symptoms like dizziness and loss of balance, according to theMayo Clinic.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez 

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Willa Ford and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mark Ballas and Sabrina Bryan

Met: Season 5 (2007)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough

Met: Season 6 (2008)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson

Met: Season 8 (2009)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Cheryl Burke and Chad Ochocinco

Met: Season 10 (2010)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff
Met: Prior to DWTS in 2003, but dated after Smirnoff's split from Lopez.
Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd

Met: Season 18 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Val Chmerkovskiy and Janel Parrish

Met: Season 19 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec

Met: Season 20 (2015)

Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Val Chmerkovskiy and Amber Rose

Met: Season 23 (2016)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella

Met: Season 25 (2017)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009, but became a couple when Murgatroyd joined the show a few years later.
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten

Met: Season 27 (2018)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sasha Farber and Emma Slater
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009.
Status: Divorced

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy
Met: Season 18 (2014)
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess

Met: Season 30 (2021)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Britt Stewart and Daniel Durant

Met: Season 31 (2022)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

It's a romance on – and off – the dance floor. See which 'DWTS' couples are still together.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez

Met:Season 3 (2006)

Status:Broken up

More 'DWTS' news:'Dancing with the Stars' is launching its first fan convention

Val Chmerkovskiy returns to 'DWTS' tour after hospitalization

Chmerkovskiy returned to the tour stage for the March 3 show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after missing the live performance in Peoria, Illinois, on March 1.

"I'm still a little fuzzy here and there, but good enough to perform. And I'll see you all tonight," he said.

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After initially opening up about his hospitalization, Chmerkovskiy's "Dancing with the Stars" family shared well wishes in the comments of his March 1 video.

"Get better soon! But take time to heal we need our ballroom diva back when he's ready to serve,"Xochitl Gomez, Chmerkovskiy's partner and winner of Season 32, wrote.

"We got you Val," fellow proEmma Slaterwrote.

The 2026"Dancing with the Stars" live tourkicked off in January and is planned for nearly 100 total shows before wrapping up in May.

In addition to starring a slew of fan-favorite pros, including Chmerkovskiy's wifeJenna Johnson, the tour featuresseveral stars from Season 34.

What is BPPV? Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis

BPPV causes brief periods of dizziness and is often set off by changes in the head's position, like lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The condition occurs when tiny calcium crystals come loose from their normal location within the inner ear, perJohns Hopkins Medicine.

A common treatment for BPPV is known as the Epley maneuver, an exercise to reposition the head in a way that helps move the crystals.

"Thankfully, our PT is certified in getting those crystals back and doing the Epley maneuver," Chmerkovskiy said.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Val Chmerkovskiy updates fans after hospitalization during 'DWTS' tour

byDonna Devi

in

March 04, 2026

Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

Val Chmerkovskiyis back on his feet. The"Dancing with the Stars"pro gave fans an update on his health...

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Maria O'Brien, “Protocol” and "Matlock" Actress," Dies at 75

TV actress Maria O'Brien died at the age of 75 on Feb. 24, according to reports

NEED TO KNOW

• O'Brien was the daughter of famous actors Edmond O'Brien and Olga San Juan

• Her acting credits include the TV shows Sam Benedict (1963), Viva Valdez (1976), The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts (1980), Matlock (1988) and the film Protocol (1984)
  

Maria O'Brien, an actress onMatlockandProtocol, has died. She was 75.

The actress and acting coach died on Feb. 24,DeadlineandThe Hollywood Reporterreported. Her cause of death has not been revealed at this time.

O'Brien came from a famous acting family in Los Angeles. She was the daughter of Oscar-winning actor Edmond O'Brien, who died in 1985, and musical comedy star Olga San Juan, who died in 2009.

O'Brien's first acting credit was in an episode of the 1963 TV showSam Benedict. She had a successful acting career over the next three decades, appearing on several TV shows, includingViva Valdez(1976),The Life and Times of Eddie Roberts(1980),Quincy, M.E.(1980-82) andMatlock(1988).

The late actress also appeared in several films includingShell Game(1975),Choirboys(1977),Prime Time(1977),The Incredible Shrinking Woman(1980) andProtocol(1984), starring opposite Goldie Hawn, Jean Smart and Richard Romanus.

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Later in her career, O'Brien worked as an acting coach on the daytime drama seriesSunset BeachandPassions. She then secured a position as an acting coach on the soap operaDays of Our Lives, where she remained for over 15 years up until she retired in 2022, perTHR.

In 1983, O'Brien testified before Congress about the devastating effects of Alzheimer's Disease, following her father's diagnosis with the disease. Her father was one of the first actors to be publicly diagnosed with the disease, per Deadline.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

O'Brien's death comes after her brother, voice actor Brendan O'Brien, died in 2023.

The actress is survived by her three children: Thomas, Danica and Sean Anderson, and her sister Bridget O'Brien Adelman.

Read the original article onPeople

byDonna Devi

in

March 04, 2026

Maria O'Brien, “Protocol” and "Matlock" Actress," Dies at 75

TV actress Maria O'Brien died at the age of 75 on Feb. 24, according to reports NEED TO KNOW O'Brien w...

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Billy Idol Reveals He Used Crack To Get Over Heroin Addiction

Rock musician Billy Idol confessed to kicking his heroin addiction by doing something else instead — smoking crack.

Idol admitted that he had many close-calls in his lifetime, including some frightening close-calls while using drugs, during a March 2 appearance on "Club Random with Bill Maher." He confessed that he shot up a few times before turning to his preferred method ofusing the drug— cutting lines and snorting it. The famous rocker described how difficult to get off the drug before revealing his unconventional solution to heroin addiction.

"Once you're trying to get off heroin, what do you go to? You go to something else. I started smoking crack to get off heroin," Idol said.

"Did you really?" Maher asked.

Idol doubled-down on his tactics. "It worked. It worked," he said with a laugh.

The famous 80s rocker described some frightening moments during the days of his heroin-use, and admitted to "nodding out" while using the drug.

In one instance, he claimed he was using heroin with a group of people that all passed out while he and another fellow kept going.

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"Eventually we did pass out and then when other people in the room came to, I was going blue," Idol admitted.

TOPSHOT – British singer Billy Idol performs on the main stage of the Rock in Rio music festival at the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 9, 2022. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP) (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)

He talked about his near-death experience matter-of-factly, and explained to Maher how heroin affects the body.

"They put me in a bath," he said, before explaining, "Well, if you're dying, you're going to start turning blue."(RELATED: Nicole Kidman Claims She Can Perform An Autopsy After Playing A Role As Medical Examiner)

Portrait of Billy Idol at a hotel in Tokyo, Japan, 1984. (Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images)

"I suppose it just overwhelms your system, and I suppose it stops you breathing or something," he told Maher.

The 70-year-old rockstar opened up about his wild lifestyle in the new documentary "Billy Idol Should Be Dead," released Feb. 26.

byDonna Devi

in

March 04, 2026

Billy Idol Reveals He Used Crack To Get Over Heroin Addiction

Rock musician Billy Idol confessed to kicking his heroin addiction by doing something else instead — smoking crack. ...

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Kurdish dissident groups say they are preparing to join the fight against Iran with US support

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a potentialcross-bordermilitary operationin Iran, and the U.S. has asked Iraqi Kurds to support them, Kurdish officials told The Associated Press.

Iran Iraq Pahlavi Kurds

The Kurdish groups are widely seen as the most well-organized segment of the fragmented Iranian opposition and are believed to have thousands of trained fighters. Their entry intothe warcould pose a significant challenge to the embattled authorities in Tehran and could also risk pulling Iraq further into the conflict.

Khalil Nadiri an official with the Kurdistan Freedom Party, or PAK, based in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region said Wednesday that some of their forces had moved to areas near the Iranian border in Sulaymaniyah province and were on standby.

He said Kurdish opposition group leaders had been contacted by U.S. officials regarding a potential operation, without giving more details.

Asked about reports that the Trump administration was considering arming Iranian Kurdish groups, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Wednesday: "None of our objectives are premised on the support or the arming of any particular force. So, what other entities may be doing, we're aware of, but our objectives aren't centered on that."

Before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, triggering a new war in the Middle East, the PAK had claimed attacks on the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for Tehran's violentcrackdown on protests. Butan officialwith the group said it had not sent forces from Iraq into Iran.

If the Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish groups were to join the war, it would be the first entry of a significant ground force into the battle. The Kurdish groups have battle experience from the fight against the Islamic State group.

An official with Komala, another of the Kurdish Iranian groups, said Wednesday that their forces are ready to cross the border within a week to 10 days and were "waiting for the grounds to be suitable." He spoke on condition of anonymity out of security concerns.

Kurds in Iran have a long history of grievances and uprisings against both the current Islamic Republic and the monarchy that preceded it. During the rule ofShah Mohammad Reza PahlaviKurds were marginalized and repressed and sometimes rebelled.

After Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, the new theocracy also battled Kurdish insurgents. Iranian forces destroyed Kurdish towns and villages in fighting that killed thousands over several months.

While they share a desire to see the current authorities ousted, the Kurdish groups have also butted heads with otheropposition groups— notably the faction led by the former shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, who has accused the Kurds of being separatists aiming to carve up Iran.

Iraqi Kurds hesitant to join the fray

The potential operation has put leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish region in a delicate position.

Three Iraqi Kurdish officials told the AP that a call took place Sunday night between U.S. President Donald Trump and Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani — the heads of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, or KDP, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, or PUK, the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq — to discuss the situation in Iran.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

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One of the officials said Trump had asked the Iraqi Kurds to militarily support the Iranian Kurdish groups in operations in Iran and to open the border to allow the Iranian Kurdish groups to move freely back and forth.

When asked about the call and reports that Trump has sought military support for Iranian Kurdish groups, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "He did speak to Kurdish leaders with respect to our base that we have in northern Iraq," but denied that Trump had agreed to a specific plan.

The Iraqi Kurdish official said the Iraqi Kurds were concerned that getting directly involved in the conflict would draw a harsh Iranian response. Already the Kurdish region has seen a string of drone and missile attacks by Iran and allied Iraqi militias in recent days, targeting U.S. military bases and the U.S. Consulate in Irbil as well as the Kurdish groups' bases.

While most of the attacks have been intercepted, civilian homes have been damaged, and the region is suffering from electricity cuts after a key gas field halted operations due to security concerns.

In a statement, the PUK confirmed that Talabani had spoken by phone with Trump, who "provided clarification and vision regarding U.S. objectives in the war." The statement said the PUK "believes that the best solution is a return to the negotiating table."

Spokespeople for the Kurdish regional government in Iraq and for Barzani declined to comment.

The news site Axios first reported the call between Trump and the Kurdish leaders, and CNN reported that the Trump administration was in discussions with Kurdish groups over providing military support.

Iraq moves to seal the border

The presence of armed Iranian Kurdish groups in northern Iraq has been a point of friction between the central Iraqi government in Baghdad and Tehran.

Iraq in 2023 reachedan agreement with Iran to disarm the groupsand move them from their bases near the border areas with Iran — where they potentially posed an armed challenge to Tehran — into camps designated by Baghdad.

Their military bases were shut down and their movement within Iraq restricted, but the groups did not give up their weapons.

Iraq's National Security Adviser Qassim al-Araji said in a post on X that Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, had requested in a call between them "that Iraq take the necessary measures to prevent any opposition groups from infiltrating the border between the two countries."

Al-Araji said Iraq is committed to "preventing any groups from infiltrating or crossing the Iranian border or carrying out terrorist acts from Iraqi territory" and noted that security reinforcements had been sent to the border.

In addition to retaliation by Iran, any movement by Iraqi Kurds to join a cross-border attack would likely inflame tensions with Iran-backed Iraqi militias, which have already claimed missile and drone strikes on Irbil in recent days.

Abdul-Zahra reported from Baghdad. Abby Sewell in Beirut and Konstantin Toropin and Michelle Price in Washington contributed.

byDonna Devi

in

March 04, 2026

Kurdish dissident groups say they are preparing to join the fight against Iran with US support

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a potentialcross-bordermilit...

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US working to charter flights for Americans trying to leave Middle East

The U.S. State Department is asking Americans in parts of the Middle East tofill out an online formif they want assistance leaving the region during the ongoing conflict with Iran.

In a social media post, the agency said U.S. citizens in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Israel should register through a State Department website to receive information about possible evacuation options.

The form allows officials to contact Americans directly about available aviation and ground transportation if they need help departing.

RELATED STORY |'They were going to attack first:' White House continues defense of Iran strikes

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is working to arrange charter flights while also helping Americans secure seats on commercial flights that are still operating intermittently.

"The State Department is asking that they register at the website so they can directly identify you, and we are actively and rapidly working to charter flights," Leavitt said during a White House briefing.

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RELATED STORY |Officials identify 4 US service members killed in Iran conflict

Leavitt said the flights arranged by the U.S. government would be provided free of charge.

"The administration is already rapidly chartering flights free of charge and booking commercial options, which we expect to become increasingly available as time goes on and the success of this mission further comes to fruition," she stated.

The evacuation effort comes as the Trump administration says it is trying to help Americans leave the region following the launch of what officials are calling Operation Epic Fury.

Leavitt said more than 17,500 Americans have already safely returned from the Middle East, including more than 8,500 who returned to the United States in a single day.

"We will not rest until every single American is returned home safely," she said.

byDonna Devi

in

March 04, 2026

US working to charter flights for Americans trying to leave Middle East

The U.S. State Department is asking Americans in parts of the Middle East tofill out an online formif they want assistanc...

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