Gleb Savchenko has one wish for the next season of Dancing With the Stars: bring fellow pro Artem Chigvintsev back.
“He’s the OG of the show. I totally miss him. I miss him next to me when I’m dancing. I miss him being a pro,” Savchenko, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly at the recent 11th Annual American Reality Television Awards. “I think we need to bring him back. I want Artem to come back to Dancing With the Stars as a pro for the next season.”
Savchenko, who was styled by Lisa Cera and wearing a Stile Latino suit and YSL shoes at the event, continued with a laugh, “Bring him back with a great partner, [but] not better than mine.”
Chigvintsev, 42, last appeared on DWTS in 2023 with Charity Lawson, where they placed fourth. After eagle-eyed fans spotted Chigvintsev in the ballroom as an audience member during the November 12 broadcast, Savchenko gushed that his pal was “so happy to be back.”
“Everybody loves him. Everybody wants him back on the show and he’s just amazing,” Savchenko told Us. “He’s an amazing dancer. He’s an amazing choreographer. He’s an amazing performer. He’s an amazing teacher. He’s so patient.”
Savchenko pointed out that Chigvintsev has taken home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. (Chigvintsev won in season 29 with partner Kaitlyn Bristowe.) Savchenko added, “He has a very unique skill of turning someone who’s never danced before into this beautiful dancer, teaching the most complex choreography and performing in front of millions of people, and nailing it and getting his celebrity partners to the finals.”
Outside of the ballroom, Savchenko told Us that he would “1,000 percent” trust Chigvintsev to set him up. “He’s like my brother, a brother from another mother,” Savchenko said. “We grew up together. We’re from the same country. We have the same mentality. I just trust the guy.”
In recent months, Chigvintsev has been making headlines for his own personal life. In August, Chigvintsev was arrested for domestic violence after an alleged incident with his estranged wife, Nikki Garcia. He was released on bail the same day.
Following the arrest, Chigvintsev and Garcia both filed for divorce. At the time, Garcia was seeking full custody of their 4-year-old son, Matteo, while Chigvintsev requested joint custody.
In September, a judge declined to charge Chigvintsev. At the time, Chigvintsev broke his silence on the incident and said he was “thankful that the truth has prevailed.”
Later that month, Garcia filed and was granted a restraining order against Chigvintsev. According to court documents obtained by Us, Garcia detailed multiple alleged incidents between her and Chigvintsev. Per online records, Chigvintsev also filed for a restraining order of his own.
Two months later, Garcia and Chigvintsev settled their divorce. “Nikki and Artem have settled their divorce and will not be going to court,” Garcia’s rep said in a statement to Us on Wednesday, November 20. “Both parties decided to drop the domestic violence restraining orders against each other in an effort to move on with their lives and effectively coparent their son.”
The statement continued: “Nikki’s number one priority has always been her son and privacy on the matter. She is thankful for all of the love and support she has received during this difficult time.”
The 11th Annual American Reality Television Awards show will premiere on Friday, November 29, on Roku Channel, Pluto TV and Xumo.
