A source confirmed the news to Page Six , revealing that Chigvintsev, 42, who is married to former WWE wrestler and reality star Nikki Garcia, will not be back; however, it appears the decision not to feature him on “DWTS” was made before he found himself in lockup.
Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia. Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Artem Chigvintsev. ABC via Getty Images
Chigvintsev joined “DWTS” as a member of the dance troupe in 2009 during Season 18 and was upgraded to pro the following season. He remained on the show as a regular until Season 28 in 2019. He called not being asked back “a massive shock.”
That first exit from the competition show proved temporary. Chigvintsev returned for the 29th season and remained a pro until the most recent, Season 32.
Artem Chigvintsev. @theartemc Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev. The Walt Disney Company
Over the years, he partnered with celebrities like “The OC” actress Mischa Barton, “The Brady Bunch” actress Maureen McCormick, former figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, and his now-wife, Nikki, whom he met while dancing with her on the show .
Chigvintsev and Garcia married in August 2022 and celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary on Monday.
The Post confirmed Chigvintsev was arrested by the Napa County Sheriff’s Department just before 10 a.m. on a felony domestic violence charge. His bail was set at $25,000.
Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia in 2019. Getty Images Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia. theartemc/Instagram
According to online records, it appears the dancing pro is still inside.
According to TMZ , the arrest was made at the scene after officers responded to a domestic violence call in the town of Yountville. The alleged victim has asked for confidentiality and the investigation is ongoing.
The Post has reached out to the sheriff’s office and to reps for Chigvintsev and Garcia for comment.
Three days ago, the married couple were publicly expressing affection in social media posts marking their anniversary.
“Happy anniversary my love , can’t see my life with out you. You are my everything,” Chigvintsev captioned a wedding photo on Instagram. “Happy Anniversary Click 🥹❤️🔥💋 Love you so much!” his ex-WWE wife commented.
Garcia posted a video filled with photos and footage from their 2022 wedding in Paris. She used lyrics from Elvis Presley’s 1961 classic “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to caption the clip.
“This song is our love story. I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast. And then this song came on. And that’s when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be. 🙏🏼✨,” Nikki wrote on Tuesday. “Happy Anniversary @theartemc I love you! ❤️🔥”
The pair share one child — four-year-old son Matteo.
Chigvintsev and Nikki met on “DWTS” in 2017 while she was still engaged to WWE star John Cena. Nikki and Cena abruptly called off their engagement the following year.
She announced her engagement to the Russian dancer in 2020 months before welcoming Matteo.
“Excited for 2020 and the next decade with you @theartemc ❤️ I said yes in France in November,” Nikki wrote. “We have been trying to keep it a secret but really wanted to share our excitement for the New Year!”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
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