Dancing With the Stars pro Gleb Savchenko says his relationship with dance partner Chrishell Stause was and is platonic, following romance rumors about them and allegations of infidelity made by his estranged wife Elena Samodanova.
On Saturday, Savchenko said in a statement to E! News on Saturday, Nov. 7, "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. My relationship with Chrishell was and remains strictly platonic. Our friendship during our season on DWTS was not the reason for our split. Elena and I have had longstanding issues in our marriage. This has been an ongoing situation between Elena and I paired with poor timing."
"It was my deepest hope to keep our private life just that: Private," he continued. "I am saddened and disappointed to see that Elena has chosen not to do the same."
Hours before the dance pro issued his statement and a day after the formerly married couple separately announced their split, People magazine reported that Samodanova, 37, claimed that Savchenko, 37, had recently been cheating on her. Fans have speculated that he and Stause, 39, were more than just friends, an allegation the Selling Sunset star has denied.
Samodanova, who shares two daughters with Savchenko, had told People, "After 14 years of marriage, and multiple affairs, I've decided enough is enough. Gleb and I have created a family and multiple businesses together. But apparently, it just wasn't enough to keep our marriage strong. Gleb's ongoing infidelity and a recent inappropriate relationship has created turmoil in our marriage and absolutely torn our family apart."
"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 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."
Stause, star of Selling Sunset, and Savchenko had competed on Dancing With the Stars together for more than two months before they were voted off the show on Monday. She responded on Friday to rumors about a romance with her dance partner.
"I am so saddened about the news of Gleb and Elena's split," she wrote on her Instagram Story. "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."
Stause, whose breakup from husband and This Is Us star Justin Hartley was announced last year, added, "As you can imagine, the countless hours of training, and dance rehearsals has created a strong supportive friendship, but nothing more. I wish nothing but the best for both Gleb and Elena during this unfortunate time."