'Dancing With The Stars' Shock! Gleb Savchenko Talks Brooke Burke
Exclusive! What's his take on new host Erin Andrews? "She seems tougher than Brooke."
The shakeup at Dancing With the Stars surprised everyone, including the show's former pro dancer Gleb Savchenko, who weighed in on the behind-the-scenes drama when we caught up with him at Kathy Duliakas' Celebrity Oscar Suite.
YourTango: We're you shocked to hear about Brooke Burke-Charvet getting fired?
Gleb Savchenko: I was shocked. I was like, 'No way!'
YourTango: Do you know why she was let go?
Gleb Savchenko: They were saying the show needed a change. The band was changed, too. Honestly, I love Brooke. You couldn't wish for a better host. She was so classy, so beautiful, so kind. She was made for the ballroom.
YourTango: What do you think of new co-host Erin Andrews?
Gleb Savchenko: I don't really know her. I've never met her, but she seems nice. She seems tougher than Brooke.
YourTango: Do the celebrities understand what they're getting into?
Gleb Savchenko: No. If they knew, they would never do it! It's really hard — hours and hours a day. They think they're going to have a lot of fun, hang out in the studio, dance with a pretty boy, but no, it's a lot of hard work.
YourTango: Julianne Hough is single now. Who do you think should date?
Gleb Savchenko: I don't know but she's such a nice girl. She should definitely have a boyfriend. I don't have a brother or I'd fix them up.
YourTango: And you're off the market. How long have you and Elena been married?
Gleb Savchenko: Almost eight years. I was 22, 23 when we got married.
YourTango: Did you know Elena was "The One" right away?
Gleb Savchenko: No, we were dating, hanging out — we knew each other for two or three years before that. We dated, we separated — she had a boyfriend, I got back together with an old girlfriend. Then we decided to get married. That was in Russia. I've been here only a year. We did Dancing With the Stars in Australia, and Elena is one of the choreographers for So You Think You Can Dance in Australia now.
YourTango: Does your daughter Olivia dance?
Gleb Savchenko: Yes. She loves it.
YourTango: Has fatherhood changed you?
Gleb Savchenko: A lot. It's an amazing thing. It's the best thing that's happened to me.
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Photo credit: Jeff Carrillo