Artem Chigvintsev is begging to rejoin 'DWTS', but producers are unsure for one big reason: 'They want...'
It appears that Artem Chigvintsev is pulling out all the stops to make his comeback on 'Dancing With The Stars' following his divorce from WWE superstar Nikki Garcia. Yes, you read that right. According to a report by National Enquirer, a Disney insider recently spoke about Chigvintsev and claimed, “He’s begging, baby. Emails, calls, even free promo offers. He’s twirling for mercy. But the producers are torn. They want family-friendly, not ex-hubby with a check and a chip on his shoulder.” Up until this moment, the network has not made any official comment on Chigvintsev's return to the ABC dance competition.
For the unversed, let us share with you that the decision for Chigvintsev not to return for Season 33 of 'Dancing With The Stars' was made before he was arrested by the cops on August 29, 2024. Then, Chigvintsev was taken into custody on charges of felony corporal injury to a spouse in Napa Valley, California. Later that day, Chigvintsev was released on a $25,000 bail. Then, a representative of Chigvintsev's wife Garcia, told People magazine, "This is a private matter and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time."
The decision of Chigvintsev not to return to the ballroom is not uncommon, as every year, the network rotates the professional dancers based on the celebrity castings of the season. The full cast of the hit dance series is announced just ahead of its premiere. When we talk about Chigvintsev, he has served as a pro dancer on 'Dancing With The Stars' for the last 12 seasons of the show. Chigvintsev was last partnered with the former 'Bachelorette' Charity Lawson during Season 32 of 'DWTS' and the pair finished in fourth place.
Before this, Chigvintsev clinched the prestigious mirrorball trophy with his Season 29 partner Kaitlyn Bristowe, well-known by the fans for being the main lead on the popular dating show 'The Bachelorette.' On the other hand, when we talk about Chigvintsev and Garcia, they crossed paths for the first time in 2017 on the set of 'DWTS' when they were paired together for Season 25 of the show. Then, Garcia was engaged to wrestler John Cena. In July 2018, Garcia and Cena pulled the plug on their relationship after six years together.
Chigvintsev and Garcia reconnected later that year, and they ended up getting engaged in November 2019. Then, the pair welcomed their first child together, a son named Mateo, in July 2020. These two tied the knot in August 2022. However, things took a turn for the worse when Chigvintsev was arrested on accusations of corporal injury to his spouse. In September 2024, Garcia filed for divorce from Chigvintsev, and their divorce was finalized in November 2024. The former couple agreed to share the joint custody of their son Mateo. As per their divorce settlement, Garcia was ordered by the court to pay her ex-husband Chigvintsev $3,500 each month in child support. In addition to this, Garcia was also told to pay Chigvintsev a lump sum of $200,000 before the end of that particular year.
