Gleb Savchenko has responded after Maura Higgins said she hopes she is not paired with him on the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars, according to E! News.
In a statement to the Daily Mail on Aug. 4, Savchenko said he had never heard of Higgins until he was asked about the comments. He added that he was not going to “lose any sleep” over the opinion of someone he has never met.
He also said it was strange to criticize someone publicly before meeting them, but added that if Higgins wanted to make headlines before the show starts, that was her decision. Savchenko said he would stay focused and let “the unnecessary drama” go to everyone else.
Higgins, who is set to compete on the show alongside Ciara Miller and Jackson Olson, previously told E! News that she would be “happy with anyone except Gleb.” She said her connection to Brooks Nader, who dated Savchenko after appearing on season 33, was part of the reason she would prefer another partner.
Higgins also said she would like to be paired with three-time Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas, who was her costar on season four of The Traitors.
