Is Artem Chigvintsev making a comeback on 'DWTS'? Here's what we know
Emmy-nominated dance pro Artem Chigvintsev was last seen competing on 'Dancing With the Stars' season 32 along with 'The Bachelorette' star Charity Lawson. The pair made it to the finals and ended up securing fourth place. Chigvintsev has been majorly missing from ballroom action, and speculations are rife that he will be joining the upcoming season 34. However, an insider claims the dance pro's days might just be over. “He won’t be on Dancing With the Stars this season,” the source exclusively told Parade, “but he is working by teaching at conventions and things like that.”
After being embroiled in a domestic violence case with his now ex-wife, WWE star Nikki Garcia, the season 29 winning pro has been concentrating on being a better parent to his four-year-old son, Matteo. “It’s all about Matteo,” the insider claimed as one of the reasons fans won't be seeing the Russian hunk on the dance show anytime soon. The news has left fans split, with the majority believing that his reputation has been damaged by his well-publicized, messy divorce. "I can’t say I’m shocked. Outside of what happened between him and Nikki, he was outright cut twice. I suppose if a celeb they really wanted to sign requested him, then things could change, but otherwise, this isn’t surprising," a viewer theorized on Reddit.
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"I hope this is accurate. Regardless of what happened between him and Nikki, it was time to let him go. His choreography was nothing to write home about, and he had zero emotional connection to his partners. I do think he was the beginning of the show starting to filter out their veteran pros for the next generation. Also, it really isn't appropriate to ask a woman to dance with a man who was arrested for DV, regardless of if he's guilty or not," another fan chimed in. On Facebook, many fans have expressed support for his return. When Artem appeared with Sasha, Gleb, Emma, Hayley, and Britt in Kansas City, they filmed a TikTok and posted photos together. Comments were largely positive, with many hoping he would return.
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Chigvintsev met Garcia on the show. Although they didn’t begin dating until later, the two were paired on Season 25 in 2017. The duo was eliminated during the seventh week and sadly didn't compete in the finals. They made their relationship Instagram official in 2019 and soon welcomed their son Matteo in 2020, according to People. In 2021, the couple postponed their wedding due to relationship challenges. "Artem and I, from the beginning, want to know: How do we balance this for Matteo and for our relationship?" Garcia said back then.
The couple tied the knot in August 2022 after being engaged for nearly three years. However, two years later, Chigvintsev was arrested for domestic violence, and the couple set out for divorce in September 2024 and completed it by November. Reports suggest they continue to remain as "great friends" for the sake of their son.