Former 'DWTS' Pro Cheryl Burke Breaks Silence On Artem Chigvintsev Arrest

Cheryl Burke, who has competed alongside Artem Chigvintsev on "Dancing With The Stars," has broken her silence on Chigvintsev's recent arrest.

The 42-year-old, who is married to Nikki Garcia, former WWE star known as Nikki Bella, was taken into custody as he faces felony domestic violence charges.

As the public awaits to find out more details about the arrest, one of Artem Chigvintsev's friends and costars, Cheryl Burke, is speaking out.

Authorities responded to a domestic violence call just before 10 a.m. on Thursday and reportedly discovered evidence of injuries at the scene. The victim requested full confidentiality, so specific details remain undisclosed.

Chigvintsev was arrested and held on a $25,000 bail, but seemingly posted bail as he was released from jail within a few hours.

Although the identity of Artem Chigvintsev's alleged victim has not been disclosed, there is speculation that it might be his wife, Nikki Garcia, with whom he recently celebrated their wedding anniversary.

Following the news, Cheryl Burke, who is good friends with Artem Chigvintsev, broke her silence on a podcast, calling the "Dancing With The Stars" pro a close friend.

"Artem, someone who I have grown up with, who actually ... we used to live together in my family's home in the Bay Area," she began, visibly shocked. "I get kind of emotional."

"So he was arrested today, Thursday, and Variety confirmed as well that he was not set to be part of season 33," she added.

As details remain under wraps, Burke said, "My heart goes out to everyone involved. This is really hard for me because he is my family, and I don't know what to say here other than I hope everybody's okay."

"Domestic violence and Artem don't really ... that's why it's so shocking," she added.

Chigvintsev and Garcia, who first teamed up on "Dancing With The Stars" in 2017 and later tied the knot in 2022, are parents to a 4-year-old son, Matteo Artemovich. On Wednesday, Garcia shared an Instagram Story showing she was in Napa Valley, where their family resides.

Chigvintsev, a "DWTS" veteran for over a decade, except for a break during the 2019 season, won Season 29 with Kaitlyn Bristowe in 2020 and finished in fourth place with Charity Lawson last season.

In 2020, Nikki Garcia revealed that being cut from "Dancing With The Stars" for a season had a significant impact on her husband's mental health.

"This past year was really tough on him, and it was also tough on our relationship, because Artem was fighting depression," she said on "The Bellas Podcast," per USA Today. "He was really depressed being cut, and it was really hard for him to get past it. And he then finally found a job right before COVID hit, then he lost it, and then it brought that depression back of not being a part of 'Dancing With the Stars.'"

When Chigvintsev got the call to return, Garcia said she saw a change in him. "I felt like I had my old Artem back, the man that I fell in love with," she said. "To see him perform, his smile could not get any bigger, and you just felt his excitement and his love and his passion and, more than anything, his happiness. He was so happy to be back."

In 2020, the former WWE star announced that she was expecting her first child with Chigvintsev. "It’s something I’ve dreamed of my whole life,” she told People Magazine at the time. “I can’t imagine life without being a mom and experiencing the miracle of life and raising a child. I’m just so family-oriented that I couldn’t imagine not having that family life.”

Matteo Artemovich Chigvintsev was born on July 31, 2020. "I labored for 22 hours, and I pushed for two hours while wearing a mask because of COVID-19," Garcia said. "It was 118 degrees in Phoenix, and our room wouldn't get colder than 76 degrees, so I was burning hot the whole time."

Nikki Garcia and Artem Chigvintsev have been married since 2022.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.