Maura Higgins Refuses 'Dancing With The Stars' Partnership With Gleb Savchenko Over Past Remarks

Maura Higgins has stated she will not partner with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko on the upcoming season of "Dancing With The Stars," citing loyalty to her friend Brooks Nader and concerns over Savchenko's past remarks about women.

Higgins, a "Love Island UK" personality, expressed her clear preference against being paired with the Russian dancer, 42, on the American competition. She stated her commitment to her friend Nader, 29, a former "Dancing With The Stars" contestant who previously dated Savchenko. The relationship between Nader and Savchenko ended in what has been described as a "messy" split after they were partnered on the show in 2024.

"I'd be happy with anyone but Gleb," Higgins told E! News. "That's only because I'm loyal and I'm friends with Brooks [Nader]. I don't really like the way he speaks about women. I don't really want to spend all my time with someone like that. I'm like, no thank you."

Sources suggest Savchenko was displeased with Higgins' public comments. One source told The Sun that Savchenko felt Higgins was "out of line" and that she, not having been part of the relationship, doesn't know all sides of the story. The situation is expected to create an awkward atmosphere backstage.

Higgins has indicated a preference for partnering with Valentin Chmerkovskiy, sharing a video of them dancing together.

Savchenko's past comments about Nader resurfaced in relation to Higgins' stance. He had reportedly described their intimacy as "the worst sex" he has ever had and claimed Nader engaged in rough behavior that made him uncomfortable, including alleged choking and pushing.

Nader and Savchenko began dating in the fall of 2024 after being partnered on "Dancing With the Stars." Their relationship reportedly faced scrutiny from Nader's inner circle due to the amount of time Savchenko spent at her home. Although they appeared to reconcile by November 2024, they separated again in April of the following year. Savchenko stated at the time that he was surprised by the split, learning of it through published articles.