'DWTS' pro dancer denies affair with partner and 'Selling Sunset' star Chrishell Stause following accusations from his wife
- "Dancing With the Stars" professional dancer Gleb Savchenko responded to his wife Elena Samodanova's accusations and denied rumors that he was having an affair with his partner Chrishell Stause on Saturday.
- Shortly after the married couple announced their split via Instagram on Friday, Samodanova accused Savchenko of "ongoing infidelity" in an interview with People.
- The Russian dancer released a statement to E! News, saying that he won't let "false accusations and internet rumors go unaddressed," adding that his relationship with the "Selling Sunset" star "remains strictly platonic."
- "Our friendship during our season on 'DWTS' was not the reason for our split," he explained, continuing, "Elena and I have had longstanding issues in our marriage."
Even though "Dancing With the Stars" partners Chrishell Stause and Gleb Savchenko were fan favorites on the show, the Russian dancer said their relationship is "strictly platonic" and had nothing to do with his recent split from his wife, Elena Samodanova.
Following Friday's Instagram announcement that the couple was ending their 14-year marriage, Samodanova accused her husband of "ongoing infidelity" and a "recent inappropriate relationship" during an interview with People.
"No wife should ever stand by and watch while another woman gifts her husband expensive presents, lures him out to dinners and seduces him at every turn," Samodanova told the magazine.
She continued, "Last night was the final straw and I can no longer turn my head the other way. My trust in Gleb is irrevocably broken and it is time that I walk away and begin to heal so I can be the best version of myself for my girls."
Savchenko and Samodanova have two daughers together, 9-year-old Olivia and 3-year-old Zlata.
Though Samodanova didn't explicitly name Stause, the breakup sparked online rumors of a romance between the "DWTS" partners.
Savchenko denied the cheating rumors in a statement he released to E! News on Saturday.
"While I will continue to respect the privacy of my family, I will not stand by and allow false accusations and internet rumors go unaddressed," he began, continuing, "My relationship with Chrishell was and remains strictly platonic."
Savchenko clarified that his partnership with Stause "was not the reason" for the breakup, pointing instead to existing problems within his marriage.
"Elena and I have had longstanding issues in our marriage. This has been an ongoing situation between Elena and I paired with poor timing," he said, adding that he's "saddened and disappointed" that Samodanova wasn't more private about their split.
The day the couple announced that they were parting ways, Stause told fans that she was "saddened" to learn the news on her Instagram story.
The "Selling Sunset" star also addressed claims that her onscreen partnership with Savchenko played a role in the breakup.
"It is unfortunate that this has caused rumors to swirl about my personal life. Having gone through a public split myself, I would not wish this on anyone," she said.
In November 2019, Justin Hartley filed for divorce from Stause, ending their two-year marriage. The aftermath of the split played out on season three of "Selling Sunset" and dominated headlines for months.
The reality star, who was engaged to "Glee" star Matthew Morrison previously, also said that she and Savchenko, who were eliminated from the show on November 2, have "nothing more" than a "strong supportive friendship."
"As you can imagine, the countless hours of training, and dance rehearsals has created a strong supportive friendship, but nothing more," she wrote. "I wish nothing but the best for both Gleb and Elena during this unfortunate time."
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