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Gleb Savchenko turned fans off with his comments about Brooks Nader.
In October 2024, the “Dancing With the Stars” pro dancer gushed about his season 33 partner after the two were eliminated from the competition following their Week 5 “Dedication Night” dance.
Savchenko, 40, told “Good Morning America” that none of his past partners compared to Nader, 27. After saying he had a ”blast” working with Nader, Savchenko added, “This is my best season, you know, and I’ve done the show for such a long time. Brooks has been my best partner, and I thought we were going to go all the way. Kinda bummed we got eliminated.”
“Whatever happens, happens for a good reason, and I’m excited for the future,” the pro dancer added.
Gleb Savchenko’s Comments Offended Fans
Nader was Savchenko’s 12th partner on DWTS, and she was not his highest-scoring celebrity. The duo landed in 9th place during season 33.
Savchenko’s highest showings in the ABC dancing competition were with Jana Kramer, Lauren Alaina, and Shangela, who all landed in 4th place on their seasons. The Russian American pro dancer previously ended in 7th place with Arike Ogunbowale and 8th place with Chrishelle Stause. He also landed in 9th place with “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Jayne.
Fans reacted on social media to question why Savchenko would call Nader his “best” partner from his 12 seasons on “Dancing With the Stars.” Many thought the comments were disrespectful to Shangela, who in 2022 made history as the first drag queen ever to compete on the show.
Disney PlusShangela and Gleb Savchenko
“Best season? Don’t do Shangela like that gleb!” one commenter wrote on Instagram.
“This definitely was not his best season it was actually the opposite, shangela being his partner was his best season,” another agreed.
“So disrespectful to Shangela 🫣,” another wrote on TikTok.
“He literally did drag with Shangela and had one of the most memorable freestyles. I need a break from Gleb😭,” another added.
“Yeahh after this disrespect to Shangela I’m completely over Gleb,” another viewer agreed.
Fans Called Out Gleb’s Showmance With Brooks
DisneyGleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader
Some of the annoyance could stem from the fact that ahead of season 33, Savchenko told the U.S. Sun he wanted a “hot” partner. “It would be nice if she’s hot” and “nice to look at,” he said of his dream DWTS partner in early 2024. Nader clearly fit that bill for him.
Savchenko and Nader’s DWTS run was overshadowed by a showmance. The couple made headlines for their flirty relationship and heavy PDA both in and outside of the ballroom.
In an October 2024 interview on Harry Jowsey’s “Boyfriend Material” podcast, Savchenko admitted that he was “maybe” even in love with Nader. “We’re just hanging out,” he added of his relationship with the “Sports Illustrated” model. “We just have a good time. She’s amazing. I love being around her. She’s got such great energy, great personality. Obviously, super hot.”
On Reddit, fans speculated that the duo’s real-life romance did them in.
“Gleb got his dream partner and instead of teaching her to dance he just went full on showmance and did sexy half dances week after week and thought that would be enough. It was in fact not enough,” one commenter wrote on Reddit.
“Right and he couldn’t even do the showmance part right. There was absolutely no will they/won’t they. No tension. He’s the worst,” another agreed.
But some fans defended Savchenko for finding a true connection with Nader.
“The season where he probably felt happiest & had the most fun and met someone he really likes. No one should shame him for saying that was his best season,” one DWTS fan wrote.
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DWTS Pro Criticized For Calling Season 33 Celeb His ‘Best’ Partner