DWTS’ Artem Chigvintsev arrested and booked into jail for ‘domestic battery’ in Napa County
ARTEM Chigvintsev, a professional dancer and husband of former WWE star Nikki Bella, has been arrested for domestic violence, according to reports.
Chigvintsev, a Dancing with the Stars alum, was arrested in Napa County, California.
The award-winning pro dancer and Russian native was booked on domestic battery charges on Thursday, according to TMZ.
Details about his arrest were not immediately disclosed.
The victim has not been named.
Chigvintsev, 42, is a renowned celebrity dancer who first appeared on Dancing with the Stars during the 18th season.
The pro dancer had several stints on the hit ABC show, appearing in 12 seasons.
He was the first dancer to win on two versions of the show, the United States‘ Dancing with the Stars and the United Kingdom‘s Strictly Come Dancing.
Chigvintsev won the BBC competition in 2010 with celebrity partner Kara Tointon.
The Russian dancer joined Strictly during series eight in 2010 when he was partnered with ex-EastEnders actress Tointon, a relationship that blossomed into a real-life romance for several years.
Chigvintsev also made it to the semi-final of the show in 2011, with actress Holly Valance as his partner, before he teamed up with TV veteran Fern Britton in the 2012 series.
He was last partnered with Coronation Street star Natalie Gumede in 2013, with the pair securing the runner-up spot.
DWTS MOVE
Chigvintsev later moved to the US version of Strictly, Dancing With The Stars.
He most recently appeared in DWTS’ 23rd season and was paired with The Bachelorette star Charity Lawson.
It was during the competition show’s 25th season that he met his wife, Nicole Garcia – a former WWE superstar and Hall of Famer who performed under Nikki Bella.
At the time, Garcia initially confirmed she was sleeping with Chigvintsev, insisting they were in an open relationship.
However, the pair soon turned their casual fling into the real deal – and Chigvintsev proposed in November 2019.
Chigvintsev announced the engagement in a social media post at the time, captioning a romantic picture of him and Garcia, “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.
“So excited for what’s to come I love you more than anything and thank you for saying Yes.”
At the time, Garcia wrote, “Excited for 2020 and the next decade with you @theartemc. I said yes in France in November!
“We have been trying to keep it a secret but really wanted to share our excitement for the New Year!”
PARIS WEDDING
The pair tied the knot in a ceremony in Paris on August 26, 2022.
Garcia released a four-party special in January 2023 that follows the couple throughout their wedding planning process.
The couple welcomed their son, Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev, in July 2020.
Garcia and Chigvintsev previously told People that they hesitated about bringing their son into the limelight.
“We’ve always been very protective about – we don’t want Matteo to grow up on reality TV,” Garcia told the magazine last year.
The former WWE star told the magazine that she wants her son to decide in the future whether he wants to be on TV.
“Even though he’s in moments, we didn’t let him film a lot. Even in a series, we’re very protective of it,” she added.
“I definitely think there’s other parts of Artem and I that we could [explore].”