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‘DWTS’ Pro Gleb Savchenko Talks to Artem Chigvintsev ‘All the Time’ Amid Divorce From Nikki Bella
Dancing With the Stars pro Gleb Savchenko revealed that he has been in frequent contact with costar Artem Chigvintsev amid his divorce from Nikki Garcia, formerly known as Nikki Bella.
“He’s part of the family,” Gleb, 41, told E! News at the season 33 DWTS premiere on Tuesday, September 17. “He’s such a great dancer that people don’t realize. He’s the quality. It’s not about quantity, it’s about the quality.”
“He’s just my brother, and I send him love and positivity,” Gleb said, adding, “I talk to him all the time.”
Artem, 42, was arrested and booked on a felony domestic violence charge in Napa Valley, California, on August 29. He was released from Napa County Jail on a $25,000 bail later that day.
“This is a private matter, and Nikki asks for privacy for her and her family at this time,” Nikki’s rep told Us Weekly in a statement after Artem’s arrest.
On September 11, Nikki, 40, filed for divorce from the professional dancer. She listed their date of separation as August 29, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split.
Nikki requested sole legal and physical custody of her and Artem’s 4-year-old son, Matteo, but did not request to block Artem’s visitation rights, per TMZ.
In documents filed in response on September 13, Artem requested spousal support from Nikki and also asked that she cover his attorneys fees and costs. He also requested joint legal and physical custody of Matteo.
“At this time, Mr. Chigvintsev will not comment on any pending proceeding,” his attorney, Ilona Antonyan, said in a statement to People on September 17. “The parties are focused on coparenting and working together for the best interests of their son.”
She noted, “As a standard practice, the divorce response preserves Mr. Chigvintsev’s financial rights to support and fees. Failure to check these boxes in the responsive pleadings waives the right to seek such remedies. There is no motion pending for spousal support or fees, also known as the Request for Order.”
Nikki and Artem met when they were paired together on season 25 of DWTS in 2017. At the time, she was engaged to fellow WWE wrestler John Cena. In April 2018, Nikki and John announced that they were calling off their wedding. They got back together the following month. However, they closed the final chapter of their relationship for good in July 2018 after six years together.
In March 2019, Nikki and Artem confirmed their relationship on Instagram after months of speculation. They got engaged in November of that year but did not officially announce the news until January 2020. That same month, Nikki and Artem announced that they were expecting their first child together. Matteo was born in July 2020.
In August 2022, the Total Divas alum announced on Instagram that she and Artem wed in Paris. Their journey to the altar was documented on the four-part E! series called Nikki Bella Says I Do. The former couple posted tributes to each other on Instagram to mark their second wedding anniversary days before Artem’s arrest.
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