Russian dancer Artem Chigvintsev was proudly part of the “Dancing With the Stars” cast for years. His loyal fans felt delighted when he finally brought home the Mirrorball trophy at the end of season 29.
The long-running ABC show parted ways with Artem during the summer of 2024 amid his tumultuous divorce from Nikki Bella. After keeping a lower profile over the past few years, he’s finally sharing his side of the story.
In a new interview, another former DWTS pro revealed she was there for Artem during his dark chapter.
Sharna Burgess Repeatedly Checked in With Artem Chigvintsev During the Chaotic Divorce Saga
Artem Chigvintsev recently appeared on “The Penthouse with Peta” podcast to speak with Peta Murgatroyd and Sharna Burgess about his divorce and subsequent DWTS exit. The Russian dancer described the situation as “a bad dream.”
“I remember checking in with you throughout that time and checking on you because just from where I was sitting on the outside, it seemed unfathomable on how you process,” Sharna recalled the situation, empathizing with her friend.
Although she and Artem kept in touch, he largely stayed out of the spotlight in the aftermath of the incident.
Artem admitted that he was still struggling to process the situation, noting that he just shut down and went into survival mode during the last half of 2024.
“I had to completely switch off ‘me,’” the season 29 champion confessed.
The Trio Wish They Had More Closure With the Series
Neither Sharna Burgess nor Peta Murgatroyd has competed on “Dancing With the Stars” in several years. All three dancers have plenty of other projects to occupy their time, but they all miss the thrill of competition.
“You do have this giant void in your life after the show,” Artem shared on “The Penthouse with Peta.” “But it’s the aftermath of other people telling you like, ‘oh, I miss you on the show,’ or ‘I’m like big fan.’ It’s a constant… And that never really goes away.”
Both Peta and Sharna agreed, with the former adding that it feels like being “cut off cold turkey.” Artem went on to say that he hasn’t watched the show since his exit and wishes he could have had an honest conversation about the executive team about his future on the show.
Although the situation is certainly challenging, Artem Chigvintsev knows he still has plenty of friends in the industry he can rely on.
Fans can expect to see “Dancing With the Stars” back on ABC this September.
