Artem Chigvintsev is the latest pro dancer to drop from Dancing With the Stars ahead of season 33 of the reality competition series. According to PEOPLE, Chigvintsev was not included in any of the planning for the upcoming season.
The decision on his return came before his arrest at the end of August for felony corporal injury to a spouse while in Napa Valley, California, with his wife, Nikki Garcia. He was booked and released on a $25,000 bond later in the day.
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The full cast for the upcoming season has not been revealed yet, with only Olympic bronze medalist Stephen Nedoroscik being announced after his medal win. Chigvintsev is the latest to step away from the show this season, which is a common occurrence for the pro dancers.
The Russian dancer has been a part of the last 12 seasons of the Disney reality series, including the last four consecutively. His absence only gets more scrutiny due to the proximity to his arrest.
According to PEOPLE, the details are still being kept quiet, but it is known that Chigvintsev was charged with corporal injury to spouse, which most have presumed to be Garcia. Reports have added that paramedics had been called and then canceled at the residence, while some indicated that the former WWE superstar had thrown a shoe at the dancer.
The couple had been in Napa Valley celebrating their anniversary ahead of Garcia’s hosting gig at the upcoming showdown between Joey Chestnut and Kobayashi on Netflix. She was spotted publicly for the first time since the incident without her wedding ring, raising plenty of questions over the incident.
Dancing With the Stars premieres on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. Episodes will be available the following day on Hulu.
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