‘Dancing With the Stars’: Artem Chigvintsev Returning for Season 29

Artem Chigvintsev will be returning to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom for another shot at the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 29! The dancer was revealed as the surprise 15th pro on Monday’s Good Morning America after he was not asked back for Season 28 of the ABC dance competition series last year. The Russian performer said of competing in his ninth season, “I just can’t wait to get back, and I want to dedicate this season to my little boy.”

Chigvintsev met his fiancée, Nikki Bella, when the WWE star was paired with him as his celebrity partner on Season 25 of DWTS, and he popped the question in November. On July 31, the two welcomed their first son, and one day later, Bella’s twin sister, Brie Bella, also welcomed a son. Of being a first-time father, Chigvintsev gushed, “It has been the most incredible feeling and Nicole and I are just obsessed.” Joking that the little boy “literally owns” him and Bella these days, he gushed, “I didn’t know I could have so much love to give. It’s just incredible.”

Also returning for another year in the pro lineup are Sasha Farber, Pasha Pashkov, Jenna Johnson, Emma Slater, Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Val Chmerkovskiy, Peta Murgatroyd, Gleb Savchenko, Cheryl Burke, Sharna Burgess, and Keo Motsepe. There are two new pros joining the show this year: Britt Stewart, a former member of the troupe and the first Black female pro, and Daniella Karagach, a former troupe member and the wife of Pashkov. The celebrity partners have yet to be announced, but former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe was confirmed to be competing this season back in June.

Last month, ABC announced that longtime Dancing With the Stars hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews would not be returning for Season 29, confirming the next day that Tyra Banks would be replacing the pair. “As we embark on a new creative direction, [Bergeron] departs the show with our sincerest thanks and gratitude for his trademark wit and charm that helped make this show a success. Erin will also not be returning, and we appreciate all that she brought to the ballroom,” the network said in a statement last month. “Fans have been rooting for her since she originally competed as a contestant back in 2010, and her signature sense of humor has become a hallmark of the show.”

For the return of the pros and their celebrity partners to the ballroom, don’t miss the Dancing With the Stars Season 29 premiere on Monday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. For more on Dancing With the Stars from PopCulture, click here.