Former Strictly Come Dancing champ Artem Chigvintsev has hinted that he could be returning to the series, but “not as a competitive professional”…
Russian Artem, who appeared as a professional dancer on the BBC One series from 2010 to 2013, won the dance contest with Kara Tointon in 2010 and ended up dating the actress.
Since then, he has appeared on Dancing With The Stars – the US version of Strictly.
Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev, who dated after meeting on Strictly (John Wright/BBC/PA)
Artem, who was talking at the Annual Race to Erase MS Gala at the Beverly Hilton hotel, said: “I had a fun four years [on Strictly]. I had different partners and was lucky enough to win the show.
“I just wanted to try something else. When Dancing With The Stars approached me, I thought about it and why not try?
“I don’t know what the future holds. We’ll see.
“I’m definitely going to be doing something in the UK but I don’t know if it’s going to be Strictly as a competitive professional.”
So, maybe as a contributor to Strictly’s spin-off show, It Takes Two? Or as a guest judge?
Artem, right, with the UK Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2014 at the Birmingham (Rui Vieira/PA)
Artem also commented on why he left the show…
“To me what was tough… the BBC kept changing producers and executive producers of the show. So once you really know how to work with one person, then they are changing and you’re trying to find a way to work with another person.
“I think that was my biggest determination why I wanted to leave the show.
“Everybody tried to bring something new and tried to change it. I’m always a big believer of ‘why change something when it really works’. I think that’s the biggest reason why I left.”
Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC1 in the autumn.
