Maura Higgins made her entrance at the first day of "Dancing With The Stars" rehearsals on Wednesday, arriving at a Los Angeles dance studio amid reports of a burgeoning feud with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko.
Higgins, who gained initial fame on the UK's "Love Island" and recently appeared on "The Traitors," shared her hopes of not being partnered with Savchenko. She cited loyalty to her friend and former "Dancing With The Stars" contestant Brooks Nader, who previously dated Savchenko, as a primary reason. Higgins also stated that she disapproves of "the way he speaks about women."
Savchenko, a Russian professional dancer, responded to Higgins' comments, stating he had "never heard" of her and would not "lose any sleep over the opinion of someone I've never met." He suggested Higgins might be using the situation to generate pre-show headlines. "It's odd to publicly attack someone you've never even met, but if that's how she wants to make headlines before the show starts, that's her choice," Savchenko said in a statement.
Higgins also expressed a preference for being paired with Valentin Chmerkovskiy, with whom she previously danced for a promotional video.
The controversy follows past remarks attributed to Savchenko regarding his relationship with Brooks Nader. Reports indicate that Nader and Savchenko dated in late 2024 after being partnered on the show, but they separated in April of the following year. Savchenko had reportedly made critical comments about their past intimacy. An insider also told US Weekly that Nader's family and friends became concerned about how comfortable Savchenko had become in Nader's home during their relationship.
Higgins' arrival at rehearsals signals the start of the new season, with the celebrity cast beginning their training routines.