‘Dancing With the Stars’: Nikki Bella ‘Praying’ Fiance Artem Chigvintsev Is Asked Back for Season 29

Nikki Bella is “praying” fiancé Artem Chigvintsev is asked back to Dancing With the Stars after he was shockingly not asked to be part of the pro cast last season. The Total Bellas star opened up about her ideal next season of the ABC competition show during The Bellas Podcast Tuesday, including her ideal partner for her husband-to-be upon his hopeful return.

“I’m really excited to have the show come back on air and I’m praying and hoping that Artem is a part of the cast again. How cool would it be if him and Kaitlyn [Bristowe] danced together?” Bella said during the podcast. “Why I think they would make such a good duo is because she has such a similar personality to me. Artem would know how to handle her but she would bring such amazing life out of Artem and I think they could create magic on the dance floor.” While the rest of the Season 29 cast has yet to be announced, the former Bachelorette was confirmed to be appearing on the show this season as the fulfillment of a longtime dream.

Regardless of the partner, Bella said Chigvintsev should make a return to DWTS for the fans. “People really missed his presence and he’s just an incredible dancer and he’s always an incredible partner too. He truly knows how to showcase the celebrity and he’s an incredible choreographer,” Bella gushed, adding that she was “praying and hoping” he would be back. “Even for him, I just know how much he misses dancing and I know he would love to be back on the show so it would be amazing to see him with Kaitlyn or some other woman,” she added. “It would just be fun to experience it now as his fiancée because I’ve danced with him.”

The professional dancer called learning he was not being asked back for last season “a massive shock” on the WWE star’s podcast in August 2019. “There was never a thought in my mind that I’m not going to be doing it. There’s always a chance, as a pro, you might be doing some performances on the show and there’s still an involvement in some sort,” he said. “But getting this call, ‘There’s gonna be no involvement in the show from now on,’ it’s like going through a breakup after 10 years.”

Bella added Tuesday that regardless of casting, Dancing With the Stars was sure to have “incredible ratings” this season in part due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We need a new show that’s fresh that we can get hooked onto every week,” she said. “The people at home, we need something like this.”