Maura Higgins has begun training for the upcoming season of Dancing With The Stars, channeling inspiration from the 1983 film "Flashdance" with her choice of legwarmers. The former Love Island UK star, 35, shared an image on Instagram showcasing her dancewear as she prepared for practice.

However, Higgins has already created a stir by publicly stating her preference not to be paired with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko. She cited his past remarks about women as the reason, emphasizing her loyalty to her friend and former "Dancing With The Stars" contestant, Brooks Nader, who previously dated Savchenko.

Savchenko, in response to Higgins' comments, stated that he had never heard of the reality star and would not be concerned by the opinion of someone he does not know. He suggested that Higgins might be seeking attention ahead of the show's premiere and indicated he would remain focused on the competition rather than engage in what he termed "unnecessary drama."

Higgins expressed that while she would be happy with any professional partner, she specifically wished to avoid Savchenko. She elaborated on her discomfort with his public statements regarding women and her reluctance to spend extensive time with someone holding such views.

Maura Higgins channelled her inner Flashdance with legwarmers as she kicked off training for Dancing With The Stars on Saturday

She mentioned Valentin Chmerkovskiy as a preferred partner, having previously danced with him for a promotional video.

The friction stems partly from Savchenko's past relationship with Nader. The pair's romance developed during their time as partners on "Dancing With the Stars" in 2024, but they experienced a turbulent split later that year. Reports indicated that Savchenko made controversial comments about Nader's performance in intimacy after their breakup.

Maura shared her hopes that she won't be paried with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko because she doesn't agree with the 'way he talks about women' including his ex Brooks Nader, who Maura is friends with (Gleb and Brooks pictured in 2024)

Nader alluded to their breakup in a TikTok video in October 2024, with an insider telling US Weekly that Savchenko had become too comfortable in Nader's personal space, causing concern among her close circle. Despite a brief reconciliation attempt, which included Savchenko attending the family's Thanksgiving dinner, the couple ultimately parted ways again in April of the following year. Savchenko reportedly expressed surprise at their final split.