Celebrity News February 16, 2021
Gleb Savchenko, Single & Sexy, Talks Same-Sex Dances and Returning to 'DWTS'
"Dancing with the Stars" performer Gleb Savchenko is playing up his seriously sexy side in a new shoot for Mr. Warburton magazine — and giving a shout-out to some of his most diehard fans at the same time!
In the brand-new piece, Savchenko — who is separated from wife Elena Samodanova and reportedly "taking a break" from recent datemate Cassie Scerbo — reveals more of his body than ever before, and says he has been pushing for same-sex dancing on the show, exclaiming, "I can't wait for this moment!"
"Last season, when Johnny Weir got on the show, I was like, 'Johnny, you have to be my partner,' but they ended up not doing it." International editions of the franchise have introduced same-sex dancing, including the UK and Australia.
Savchenko says that while he loves the male/female dynamic in dance, "If you have two men doing the same thing, it would look so awesome and be so fascinating. I would love to do it, but it would have to be with the right partner."
He also took time out from his sexy poses to specifically thank his LGBTQ fans. "Having their support means so much. I love my fans and anyone who's super positive and gives you lots of love."
The future is bright for Savchenko, who notes that "2021 has started off great, and I'm looking forward to new opportunities and new projects."
Does that mean we can expect him back on the upcoming season of "DWTS"?
"I hope I will," he teases, "but you never know. I'm pretty sure I'm coming back and I'm excited."
On Monday, an October interview with Gleb's former "DWTS" partner Lisa Vanderpump, 60, resurfaced. In it, she was quoted as saying she'd had an "emotional affair" with the 37-year-old dancer during their time together on the show.
"Gleb was gorgeous," Vanderpump gushed. "I did become very close to Gleb. I loved him. We had a little bit of an emotional affair in terms of having to connect and hold on to each other because it's so scary... I adored him."
She went on to say that being "married for so long and not really engaging with any kind of physicality apart from your husband" contributes to the bond between dance partners on the show. Vanderpump has been wed to Ken Todd, 63, for more than 30 years.
All of this comes as Savchenko, while still married to Samodanova, is, for all intents and purposes, unattached. A source told Us Weekly earlier this month that he and recent GF Cassie Scerbo "haven’t exactly split but are just spending time apart.”
While they “aren’t see each other right now,” Gleb and Cassie are “still in touch with each other,” the insider claimed, elaborating, "Cassie has been back and forth to Florida visiting family and Gleb has been spending time with his kids in Los Angeles. He’s also trying to make things more cordial with his soon-to-be ex-wife. His family is his focus right now and he’s handling things privately.”
Gleb is the father of daughters Olivia, 10, and Zlata, 3, his children with Samodanova.
In December, Gleb and Cassie sparked romance rumors after going on vacation with Chrishell Stause and Keo Motsepe. The insider revealed, “Elena has made her feelings clear on social media and was really upset over Gleb going on vacation to Mexico with Cassie. She went crazy over this and couldn’t believe he went so public with a new relationship so quickly. It was sort of a slap in the face.”
The source claimed that he wanted “things to be okay… for the sake of their children. He wants to be on friendly terms with Elena so their divorce can be smooth sailing. Because of this, he’s taken a step back from dating Cassie in order to help heal his relationship with his ex.”
Elena was recently linked to Vlad Kvartin, a former pro on the Russian edition of “Dancing with the Stars.” They were spotted kissing in Mexico over the holidays.
Savchenko's shoot with Mr. Warburton seems to be about striking a note of independence and confidence and stirring up some fun. As publisher Derek Warburton says, "We have had one of the toughest years of our lives, and as everyone knows his personal life has been in distress, riddled with scandal. We wanted to come together and create something fun and light that would heat up the web!"
Mission accomplished!