Professional dancer Gleb Savchenko has responded to remarks made by Maura Higgins, who stated she would refuse to be partnered with him on Dancing With The Stars. Higgins cited loyalty to her friend Brooks Nader, with whom Savchenko had a previous relationship, and expressed disapproval of Savchenko's remarks about women.
Savchenko, in a statement to the Daily Mail, said he was unaware of Higgins. "Until I was asked to comment on this story, I’d genuinely never heard of this girl, Maura, so I’m certainly not going to lose any sleep over the opinions of someone I’ve never met," he stated. He suggested Higgins' comments might be an attempt to gain attention before the show begins, adding, "I’ll stay focused and leave the unnecessary drama to everyone else."
Higgins, who appeared on Love Island UK, expressed her hope of being partnered with Valentin Chmerkovskiy instead of Savchenko. She told E! News, "I'd be happy with anyone but Gleb. That's only because I'm loyal and I'm friends with Brooks [Nader]." She further elaborated on her concerns, stating, "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."
The public comments follow Savchenko's past remarks about his ex-girlfriend Brooks Nader. Savchenko described their intimate experiences as "pretty bad. Probably the worst sex of my life" to Dakota Mortensen. He also alleged that Nader engaged in aggressive behavior, claiming she "choked me, pushed me against the wall, chipped my tooth."
Savchenko and Nader began a relationship in the fall of 2024 after being partnered on Dancing With the Stars. Their relationship faced public scrutiny and an apparent split in October 2024, with an insider telling US Weekly that Savchenko had become "too comfortable" at Nader's home, raising concerns among her family and friends. The couple appeared to reconcile by November 2024 when Nader welcomed Savchenko to her family's Thanksgiving dinner. However, they separated again in April of the following year. Savchenko expressed surprise at the April split, telling Page Six that he learned of the breakup through published articles.