TW: This article contains discussions of alleged domestic violence in which a child was present.
Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars is off to a fiery start, and one of its steamiest couples is model Brooks Nader and pro Gleb Savchenko. Of course, Gleb was already denying dating rumors before the show’s premiere. However, their chemistry was obvious to the judges, and the audience. But one pro who won’t be in the ballroom this season is Artem Chigvintsev. Reportedly, he wasn’t scheduled to be part of the season before his arrest for domestic violence. Now Gleb has a message for his friend.
Gleb Savchenko states that Artem Chigvintsev is “part of the family”
Artem was arrested for corporal injury to a spouse, although the identity of the victim hasn’t been revealed. At the same time, Nikki Garcia, Artem’s wife, requested privacy. She later filed for divorce and asked for sole custody of their son, Matteo. In Artem’s court documents, he requested spousal support and joint custody of Matteo.
Meanwhile, Gleb spoke out about missing Artem after the DWTS premiere. “He’s part of the family. He’s such a great dancer that people don’t realize,” Gleb told E! News. “He’s the quality. It’s not about quantity, it’s about the quality.” He added that Artem knows “how to create a beautiful routine.”
However, it seems like Gleb and Artem are pretty close friends. “He’s just my brother,” Gleb stated, “and I send him love and positivity.” He added, “I talk to him all the time.”
While Gleb may miss having his buddy in the ballroom, some stories are coming out about Artem. And he doesn’t sound like the great person that Gleb is describing. Artem’s Season 19 DWTS partner Lea Thompson described Artem as “intense.” She stated, “I was never allowed to say, ‘Can I try this?’ He would get so mad at me.” And Fern Britton, who partnered with Artem on Strictly Come Dancing alleged, “[Artem] would look at my feet and just kick me or shove me.” Yikes!
An Artem-free Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or chat at thehotline.org.
TELL US – ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT GLEB IS SUPPORTING ARTEM? ARE YOU ROOTING FOR BROOKS AND GLEB ON DWTS?
