Gleb Savchenko has hit back at Maura Higgins, branding the Love Island star a “total stranger” after she said she wanted to be paired with anyone “except” him on Dancing with the Stars.
Higgins' comments
Higgins, 35, a contestant on the upcoming series of the US dance competition show, previously shared her desire to dance with anyone “except Gleb” as she didn’t like “the way he speaks about women”.
The comments reached Savchenko, 42, a Russian dancer and former Strictly Come Dancing star, who alleged that the pair had never met.
Savchenko's response
“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,” he told the Daily Mirror.
“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.”
The Standard has contacted Higgins’ representatives for comment.
Background
Higgins’ comments about Savchenko were made in May when her casting on Dancing with the Stars was announced.
Asked who she’d like to be coupled up with, the Irish model – who reached the final on the US version of The Traitors – told E! News: ”I’d be happy with anyone except Gleb.”
Higgins claimed this was due to her “loyalty” to actress Brooks Nader, Savchenko’s partner on the 2024 series of Dancing with the Stars who he ended up dating.
She added: “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.”
Nader and Savchenko briefly dated while the show was airing, later rekindling their romance only to break up a second time, with neither party mincing words when talking about their time dating.
Nader, recently romantically linked to Taron Egerton, called Savchenko “a completely creepy person” in September; half a year later, Savchenko claimed Nader was “probably the worst sex of my life”.
