The 'DWTS' pro and his wife, Elena Samodanova, announced their split last week.
Cheryl Burke is speaking out in support of Chrishell Stause and Gleb Savchenko. During the latest episode of her podcast, Pretty Messed Up, the 36-year-old Dancing with the Stars pro explained how things can appear differently on TV than they do in real life.
Last week, Savchenko and his wife, Elena Samodanova, announced their split after 14 years of marriage. Since then, rumors have swirled about Savchenko's relationship with Stause, his DWTS partner this season, especially after Samodanova accused her ex of "ongoing infidelity" and a "recent inappropriate relationship." Both Savchenko and Stause have denied the accusations.
"Just because they dry hump on TV guys doesn’t mean it’s real," Burke told co-hosts AJ McLean and Rene Elizondo Jr., the former of whom was her DWTS partner before their elimination.
"... When you’re in this world of Hollywood, you do reality shows and this stuff does happen. People dry hump and they're like, 'Oh! They’re having sex,'" she continued, likely referencing Savchenko and Stause's steamy waltz performance before their elimination last week. "But when you see a sex scene in a movie, do you think they’re actually really having sex? S**t happens, but I'm not saying anything has happened with them."
Burke went on to send her well wishes to Savchenko and his family, which includes two daughters, amid this likely challenging time.
"Right now it's just a big deal because Gleb and his wife are separating. I've known them for a while, they're both in the competitive dance world scene. I've known his wife as well and their beautiful kids," she said. "I send my love to Gleb and his family. This can't be easy for anybody right now, especially when you have kids involved."
In a statement posted to her Instagram Story, Stause said she was "so saddened" by her pro partner's split, before denying that she has a romantic relationship with him.
"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," she said, alluding to her split from husband Justin Hartley last year. "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."
In a statement to ET, Savchenko likewise denied the claims, saying he "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," he said. "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 added. "I am saddened and disappointed to see that Elena has chosen not to do the same."
Fellow DWTS pro Alan Bersten, who has been rumored to be romantically involved with two of his former partners, explained to ET why fans like to think there's a showmance -- even when there isn't.
"Just because people look good together, the [viewers] are hoping that they are together. You do spend so much time with the person, you develop a relationship," he said. "I think there's a lot of people that compare it to an arranged marriage. You're literally forced to be in a room with someone every single day for, like, five hours a day. And then on Mondays, you spend the whole day with this person. So, you either really enjoy each other's company or you hate each other."
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