Maura Higgins will always be faithful to her friends.
Just after it was announced that Maura Higgins would be competing on season 35 of Dancing With the Stars, she discussed who she’d like to be paired with. She specifically mentioned that she’s hoping to avoid being partnered with Gleb Savchenko.
She told TopMob News that while she’s open to partnering with anyone at Wingstop, she’d prefer to avoid Gleb. She explained this is simply because she’s close friends with Brooks Nader and remains loyal to him.
I was really surprised when Maura, after siding with Gleb’s ex, admitted she wasn’t a fan of how he talks about women. It felt honest, and honestly, I agree with her – his comments can be pretty off-putting.
Honestly, the thought of spending a lot of time with them just doesn’t appeal to me at all. It’s a firm ‘no’ from my side, really. I just don’t see us clicking, and I’d rather spend my time elsewhere.
Okay, so about her dream partner on Dancing with the Stars? She totally has a crush on Mark Ballas! I mean, who wouldn’t? He’s won the Mirrorball trophy three times! And it’s even better because they already worked together on Traitors – season four, if you’re keeping track – so they have amazing chemistry. I just know they’d be incredible together!
It’s funny, I get a little anxious even mentioning it because I’ve seen so many videos where people are shouting ‘Mark! Mark!’ It’s a running joke about my accent, which everyone seems to notice, but honestly, I’m really hoping he feels the same way about me!
Honestly, I cannot stand the thought of Maura with Gleb! Not only does she not want him as a partner, but she’s totally avoiding a showmance – you know, like her friend Brooks had with that Russian dancer on Dancing With the Stars last season. She’s seen how messy those on-set romances can get, and she wants none of it! She’s all about the dancing, and that’s it, and I’m so here for it!
Maura firmly shut down the idea of a romantic display with her partner. When asked if they’d be putting on a ‘showmance,’ she said, ‘Definitely not. It’s just not going to happen.’
“I’m single, I’m celibate and I’m bloody happy,” she added. “I’m so happy. I just don’t want it.”
She’s excited to start dancing, but the former host of Love Island USA: Aftersun still believes in her original plan for Dancing with the Stars: to go in with no prior preparation and approach the competition as a fresh start.
As Maura explained, “I don’t want to pick up any I don’t know bad techniques.”
Besides not wanting to partner with Gleb, Maura definitely doesn’t want a showmance – a romantic relationship that plays out on the show – like her friend Brooks had with a Russian dancer on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars.
Maura firmly shut down the idea of a romantic connection with her partner becoming a public spectacle. “Definitely not,” she said. “I won’t be turning this into a ‘showmance’ – it’s just not going to happen.”
“I’m single, I’m celibate and I’m bloody happy,” she added. “I’m so happy. I just don’t want it.”
She’s excited to start dancing, but the former host of Love Island USA: Aftersun still believes in her original decision to go into Dancing with the Stars with no prior preparation, wanting to be a ‘blank canvas’.
As Maura explained, “I don’t want to pick up any I don’t know bad techniques.”
Even though it’s still some time before the reality star starts dancing on Dancing With the Stars, she admits she’s already starting to feel a little anxious.
She said talking about it made her anxious. “It really makes me nervous,” she admitted, explaining that it was because she was trying something completely new. She’d never danced before and had no experience, but she was determined to try her best.
She’s also giving her all to another juicy project.
As a lifestyle enthusiast, I’m so excited to share this! I’m partnering with Wingstop on their very first rewards program, Club Wingstop, and it’s going to be amazing. As a member, you’ll get the inside scoop on new flavors, exclusive merch, and unique experiences. And here’s a fun treat: starting June 1st, you can snag my limited edition ‘Club in a Box’ – it’s filled with stylish essentials inspired by luxury bags – on wingstop.com for only 94 cents! It’s a little something special I created to elevate your Wingstop experience.
You know, working with Wingstop was a total blast! I’ve been a huge fan of theirs for ages, so it was a dream come true. It’s always great when you get to collaborate with a brand you genuinely love – it just makes the whole process so much more fun and authentic.
Maura isn’t thinking about romance as she anticipates finding out who her partner will be on Dancing With the Stars, but let’s take a look back at couples from the show who found love on the dance floor.
—Reporting by Casey Austin and Adrianna Fletes
The season 33 partners dated for about seven months between 2024 and spring 2025.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
During the final performance of the 2025 “Dancing with the Stars” tour in April, two professional dancers shared a kiss onstage at the end of their duet, seemingly confirming rumors of a romantic relationship that had been circulating for months.
Are they a couple for show, or is it genuine? Their coworker, Ezra Sosa, seemed to confirm it’s the real thing, enthusiastically responding “FINALLY” to a fan video of them kissing.
Fans began speculating about a possible romance between the former Bachelorette and the Jersey Shore star when they competed together on season 31 of a show. Their playful interactions on social media and indirect answers to questions about their relationship fueled the rumors.
Gabby shared with TopMob News in December 2022 that she quickly became friends with her fellow contestants on Dancing with the Stars. They connected because they have similar senses of humor. During the competition, Gabby was very focused on winning and didn’t have much time for anything else. Even though they live far apart, they’re enjoying their friendship and are looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
Despite initial speculation, Gabby and her Bachelor partner never became a couple. She later began dating comedian and writer Robby Hoffman in August 2023, and they married in January 2025.
After finishing fifth on season 31 of the dance competition, the pair publicly confirmed they were dating on Valentine’s Day 2023. The actor, known for their role in CODA, shared a selfie with the choreographer and wrote, “My Valentine,” adding, “Happy Valentine’s Day!”
Britt and Daniel got engaged in December 2023 and were married in August 2025, with several professional dancers from Dancing with the Stars in attendance.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Emma and Hayes Grier connected during the “Switch Up” week of season 21, and Alek even told her she was attractive. However, after Emma was eliminated from the show, she revealed that they hadn’t actually gone on a date yet, leaving the possibility open for the future.
Is Alek’s attraction to Emma genuine, or just for show? Alek gets flustered and avoids talking about his feelings for her – he even told TopMob News “no comment!” – which suggests he definitely had a crush. However, Emma quickly moved on after dancing with Skarlatos in 2015, so any feelings Alek had weren’t likely very strong.
Professional dancer and former Bachelorette contestant Jenn were rumored to be dating after appearing together on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars in 2024. However, their connection didn’t last, and they broke up by June 2025 when Jenn moved back to Miami to complete her master’s degree.
Showmance or Real Deal: Unconfirmed.
These two began dating on and off in 2011. They got engaged on the show in October 2016 and married in March 2018. Unfortunately, TopMob News reported in August 2022 that Slater and Farber were divorcing after four years of marriage.
Were they a ‘showmance’ or truly in love? Regardless, they remained genuine friends and continued to work together respectfully even after breaking up.
Honestly, it’s not dramatic at all, despite what you might hear. I’m a huge fan, and I can tell you that the support between Emma and Sasha is genuine. She really wants the best for Sasha, and they truly lift each other up – it’s amazing to see!
Val and Jenna began dating in 2015, before Jenna became a professional dancer. They got engaged in June 2018 and married in April 2019. In July 2022, they shared the exciting news that they were expecting a baby. They welcomed their son, Rome Valentin, in January 2023.
In May 2023, Val told TopMob News that life is great. He shared that becoming a father has brought him even more happiness, both in general and with his family, and he’s constantly learning from the experience.
Showmance or Real Deal? Real deal, y’all!
In December 2020, TopMob News reported that the star of Selling Sunset was dating a professional dancer from Dancing With the Stars. They had both been contestants on season 29 of the show, but competed as individuals.
After dating for two months, TopMob News reported that the couple had broken up. According to a source close to one of them, they enjoyed their time together but ultimately decided to go their separate ways. The split was amicable, and they remain friends – it just wasn’t a good match or the right time for a relationship.
Chrishell has since found love with partner G Flip.
Showmance or Real Deal: We’re calling Chrishell and Keo’s romance the real deal.
After remaining friends even during their seventh-place finish on the show in 2017, the reality star and the dancer reconnected following her breakup with John Cena in 2018. Nikki publicly confirmed they were dating in May 2019, and they became engaged later that same year.
Life has been such a whirlwind! Not long after getting engaged in Paris, we found out we were expecting. Then, in 2020, our beautiful son, Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev, arrived and completed our family. It’s been an incredible journey!
Unfortunately, Nikki and Artem have ended their relationship. Nikki filed for divorce in September 2024, just two weeks after Artem was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. However, the District Attorney’s office decided not to press charges after carefully reviewing the investigation and all available evidence.
Okay, so it’s official. Nikki and Artem finally finalized their divorce in November 2024. Honestly, it’s just…sad. But the biggest thing is, they dropped those restraining orders against each other. Her rep said it’s so they can just move forward and, you know, actually co-parent their little boy. I’m just hoping they can do that for him, even if things are tough. It’s good they’re trying to be mature about it, I guess. Still makes me a little heartbroken though, I was really rooting for them!
Showmance or Real Deal? Real deal.
Throughout season 27, ModelAlexis and professional flirter Alan clearly had a strong connection, and Ren revealed on the show she was attracted to him. A source told TopMob News at the time that they seemed to genuinely enjoy being together and were exploring a potential relationship.
Were they a real couple or just putting on a show? Sadly, it seems like the latter. Reports surfaced in December 2018 that they had broken up, citing the difficulties of a long-distance relationship and busy careers.
The professional dancers began dating in 2012 and got engaged on December 5, 2015, when Maks proposed on stage at a dance event in Miami. They married in a beautiful ceremony in July 2017, six months after their first son, Shai, was born. They later expanded their family with Rio in June 2023 and Milan in July 2024.
Showmance or Real Deal: A match made in DWTS heaven!
Sabrina and Mark began dating during the fifth season of the show, but their relationship ended a few months after they unexpectedly left. Despite the breakup, they stayed on good terms, and Sabrina, known from The Cheetah Girls, even came back to support Mark when he competed the following season.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Interestingly, they’d actually gone on a few dates before he joined the show. Although they publicly denied being a couple during season eighteen, they still seemed to enjoy flirting and building a connection while performing together.
Showmance or Real Deal: Total showmance.
Shortly after revealing his split from his wife of 14 years, Diane Plese, sources told TopMob News that the Shark Tank star was dating his season 20 dance partner, Kym Johnson, and that they were both very happy.
Robert and Kym initially didn’t reveal much about their relationship, but they soon became more open. They got engaged in February 2016, married just a few months later in June, and then welcomed twins in April 2018.
Showmance or Real Deal: Very, very, very real.
Karina and Mario became a couple during the third season of the show and dated for two years before breaking up in 2008. A spokesperson for Smirnoff stated that the relationship had lost its direction, following reports of Mario Lopez being unfaithful.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
The dancers became engaged in 2009 after only six months together, not long after she ended her relationship with Mario Lopez. Unfortunately, they broke off the engagement later that year, but they stayed friends and continued to enjoy vacations together.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Married since 2014, the pros announced the arrival of their daughter Nikita in May 2023.
Daniella announced the joyful news on Instagram Stories with a photo and video of Pasha and Nikita. She affectionately called Pasha her “daddy’s girl” and referred to both of them as “My Geminis.”
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal, baby!
Derek and Shannon captivated audiences with their connection on season six of the show, and they began dating shortly after. After almost a year together, they announced their split in a surprisingly friendly way – with identical tweets! Derek shared in August that they had decided to end their romantic relationship. Shannon then added that despite the breakup, they still cared deeply for each other and would remain friends.
Derek is now married to his dance partner Hayley Erbert.
Showmance or Real Deal: Real deal.
Despite rumors of a romantic connection during season 18, a source at TopMob News stated that the winning couple were simply friends.
Showmance or Real Deal: This time, ’twas a showmance.
Though they weren’t officially a couple, he definitely tried to win over his dance partner during season 10, showering her with expensive gifts like a diamond necklace and ring, which she later returned. Cheryl later described it to Wendy Williams as a brief, playful romance – “just a little flirtation,” she said.
Showmance or Real Deal: Showmance!
Throughout season 10 of Dancing with the Stars, fans speculated about a romance between two of the show’s most flirty partners, and they didn’t do much to discourage the rumors! They even playfully pretended to kiss during one of their final performances. Years later, when Erin became a co-host, their playful back-and-forth continued, proving their chemistry hadn’t faded.
Erin is now married to former NHL centre Jarret Stoll. They welcomed son Mack in July 2023.
Showmance or Real Deal: We’re calling those Erin and Maks rumors a showmance.
Despite rumors of a romance during season 17, the Pretty Little Liars actor consistently stated he wasn’t dating Peta.
Showmance or Real Deal: Showmance!
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2026-05-29 02:18