Former Strictly star, Gleb Savchenko, has come back with a fiery response to Maura Higgins’ comments about not wanting him as a dance partner.
The former Love Island UK star may have broken America, but she’ll seemingly never break her loyal friendship with Brooks Nader.
Ahead of her upcoming appearance on Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), Maura said, in terms of who she’s partnered with, she’d be ‘happy with anyone but Gleb [Savchenko]’.
Speaking to E! News, she explained her reasoning: ‘That’s only because I’m loyal and I’m friends with Brooks.’
The US Traitors star went on: ‘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.’
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Now, Gleb has fired back. In a statement to Metro, he said: ‘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.
‘It’s odd to publicly attack a complete stranger, but if that’s how she wants to make headlines before the show starts, that’s her choice. I’ll stay focused and leave the unnecessary drama to everyone else.’
Brooks is an American model and TV personality. In 2019 she won the Swim Search for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit and began modelling for the publication.
The Love Thy Nader star came ninth in the 33rd season of DWTS with Gleb after getting eliminated on Dedication Night.
They started dating after being partnered up together on the 2024 series, but their romantic journey was short-lived.
Seven months after romance rumours began, Brooks and Gleb’s relationship was over, with the latter telling Us Weekly that he was ‘surprised to learn’ that Brooks had ended their partnership.
In April earlier this year, while participating in the Unwell Winter Games YouTube series, Gleb claimed he had ‘probably the worst sex of [his] life’ with Brooks.
He alleged that she choked him, chipped his tooth, and pushed him up against a wall while they were together.
Us Weekly reached out to Brooks’ rep at the time for comment.
She also accused him of cheating, which he has denied.
It’s not yet clear whether Savchenko will return to the 35th season of DWTS.
The Russian dancer appeared on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing as a professional in 2015, and was partnered with Anita Rani.
Maura wants no showmance to come out of her time dancing on the American competition show. She told E!: ‘I’m single, I’m celibate, and I’m bloody happy.’
Metro has reached out to Maura Higgins for comment.
Dancing with the Stars premieres on ABC and Disney+ on September 15, 2026.