Gleb Savchenko praised Artem Chigvintsev while revealing why he wants him to return to Dancing With the Stars following his divorce drama with Nikki Garcia (formerly known as Nikki Bella).
“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,” Gleb, 41, told Us Weekly about Artem, 42, in an interview published on Thursday, November 21. “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.”
Gleb jokingly added, “Bring him back with a great partner, [but] not better than mine.”
Artem last competed on the show in 2023 alongside Charity Lawson, and the pair placed in fourth. Despite not appearing in season 33, fans grew hopeful that the Russia native would return to the show when he attended the 500th episode taping on November 12.
“Everybody loves him. Everybody wants him back on the show and he’s just amazing,” Gleb told the outlet. “He’s an amazing dancer. He’s an amazing choreographer. He’s an amazing performer. He’s an amazing teacher. He’s so patient.”
In addition to getting along with the other cast members, Gleb said that Artem 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.”
Gleb praised Artem more than two months after he was arrested on domestic violence charges on August 29. The professional dancer called 911 to request help, though he canceled the request while authorities were on their way. Officials ultimately arrived at the scene, and Artem was placed under arrest.
At the time, Life & Style confirmed that Artem was booked on California penal code 273.5(a). That specific code “makes it illegal to injure a spouse, cohabitant or fellow parent in an act of domestic violence. This offense is also referred to as domestic abuse, domestic violence or corporal injury to a spouse.”
Artem posted bail and was released just hours after his arrest.
Meanwhile, Nikki, 40, filed for divorce on September 11 and asked for sole custody of their son, Matteo. Artem later submitted his own filing and requested joint custody, and a judge granted his request for joint custody of Matteo, 4, on October 16.
Additionally, the domestic violence charges against Artem were eventually dropped September 24.
Artem and Nikki settled their divorce after a mediation session that took place earlier in November, TMZ reported on Wednesday, November 20. According to the outlet, the former couple chose to settle their divorce quickly due to mounting legal fees and their hopes to move on from the drama.
“Nikki’s number one priority has always been her son and privacy on the matter,” a rep for the retired wrestler told TMZ. “She is thankful for all of the love and support she has received during this difficult time.”
