What To Know
- Gleb Savchenko is not a pro on Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars.
- He reacted to the news in a shirtless Instagram video and told fans he’s “good.”
- Savchenko was on the show for 12 straight seasons before his exit.
A familiar face will be missing from Season 35 of Dancing With the Stars. While the new installment will feature the return of Sharna Burgess after a four-season hiatus, as well as the addition of new pros Hailey Bills and Adele Zaikman, one former pro is not heading back to the ballroom.
Gleb Savchenko is not part of the Season 35 cast, making it his first time not on the show since Season 23 in 2016 (he was also a pro on Season 16 prior to that.) While the reason for his absence has not been confirmed, he did take to Instagram to address the news after the September 2 cast reveal.
“Guys, you can stop telling me you’re sorry. I’m good,” Savchenko said in a video, which featured him shirtless with the camera positioned to show his full body.
He captioned the post, “Guys, I promise… I’m good. Nothing but love and gratitude for all the years in that ballroom. Excited for this next chapter — and wishing everyone an amazing season. No sad messages. We’re moving forward.”
While Savchenko is not on the show this season, Sarah Jane Nader, the sister of his Season 33 partner and ex-girlfriend Brooks Nader, is one of the celebs on the show. She is partnered with Bills in the cast’s only same-sex pairing. Brooks and Savchenko had a messy breakup in 2025, where she accused him of cheating and he publicly slammed her accusations.
Ahead of the Season 35 cast reveal, Savchenko also made headlines when Maura Higgins, who was confirmed as a cast member in April, said she didn’t want him as her dance partner. “I’d be happy with anyone except Gleb,” she told E!. “That’s only because I’m loyal and I’m friends with Brooks.”
In response, Savchenko told People, “Until I was asked to comment on this story, I’d genuinely never heard of Maura, so I was quite surprised to learn she’d spoken about me so negatively. We’ve never met, and she doesn’t know me personally, so it’s disappointing to be judged based on a one-sided version of events rather than the facts.”
Dancing With the Stars, Season 35 Premiere, Tuesday, September 15, 8/7c, ABC