Former “Strictly Come Dancing” star Artem Chigvintsev has been charged with domestic violence in California, following his arrest on Thursday morning in Yountville. The 42-year-old Russian dancer, who gained fame after winning the BBC competition in 2010 with actress Kara Tointon, was detained by police after they responded to a domestic violence call.
According to Officer Henry Wofford from the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, Chigvintsev was arrested on suspicion of domestic abuse and later released on $25,000 bail. While details of the incident, including the alleged victim’s identity and the nature of any injuries, remain undisclosed, the arrest suggests there were visible signs of abuse.
Chigvintsev’s representatives have not yet commented on the allegations, and the investigation is ongoing. Chigvintsev rose to prominence after joining “Strictly Come Dancing” in 2010, where he formed a real-life relationship with his partner, Kara Tointon.
He continued to perform on the show in subsequent seasons, partnering with Holly Valance in 2011, Fern Britton in 2012, and finishing as a runner-up in 2013 with Coronation Street star Natalie Gumede.
His success on “Strictly” paved the way for his move to the US, where he joined the American version of the show, “Dancing With The Stars.”
In the US, Chigvintsev’s career continued to thrive, and in 2017, he was partnered with WWE star Nikki Garcia, also known as Nikki Bella. The pair developed a relationship that led to their engagement in Paris and the birth of their son in 2020.
Nikki’s twin sister, Brie Garcia, also gave birth to her second child just hours after Nikki. The sisters’ lives, including their relationships and pregnancies, were featured on the E! reality show “Total Bellas,” which ran for five years.
Chigvintsev and Nikki Garcia married in 2022, cementing their relationship after a whirlwind romance that began on “Dancing With The Stars.”
Their union was celebrated by fans of both the reality show and the wrestling world, as Nikki Bella is a well-known WWE figure.
The couple recently marked their two-year wedding anniversary, a milestone that was overshadowed by Chigvintsev’s recent legal troubles.
The arrest comes as a shock to many who have followed Chigvintsev’s career from his early days on “Strictly Come Dancing” to his success in the US.
As the investigation into the domestic violence charge continues, the dancer’s future in both his personal life and professional career remains uncertain, with many awaiting further details on the case.
