Ex Strictly star Artem Chigvintsev breaks silence as domestic violence charges dropped

Former BBC Strictly Come Dancing professional Artem Chigvintsev has broken his silence following news that domestic violence charges against him have been dropped

Artem Chigvintsev has shared his relief after domestic violence charges issued against him.

The 42-year-old former Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing With The Stars professional faced serious accusations against him last month - which saw him placed in Napa County Jail. He was held overnight and charged with domestic violence, with authorities citing penal code 273.5(a), which relates to domestic violence against either, "a spouse, cohabitant or fellow parent".

Artem has been married to retired professional WWE wrestler Nikki Bella - however she has not issued any statement relating to her husband's arrest on 29 August, but did file for divorce on 11 September. On Thursday, all charges against Artem were dropped and he subsequently issued a statement on social media where he shared his joy.

He wrote on X: "I am incredibly relieved and grateful that the domestic violence charges against me have been dropped. This has been an extremely difficult time for me. I am thankful that the truth has prevailed."

He continued: "My focus has always been and will always be, our son Matteo. He is my world, and being his father is the greatest blessing in my life. All along, my main concern has been for him. I am committed to continuing to provide him with the love, support, and care he needs as we move forward. I am hopeful that securing an equal custody arrangement will help us move on."

The Russian professional dancer went on: "I want to express my deepest gratitude to my family, friends, and legal team for standing by me during this challenging time. Your support has been invaluable, and I am thankful to everyone who believed in me and saw the truth for what it was."

And he added: "I look forward to moving past this chapter and focusing on what truly matters - continue being the best father I can be." The Mirror has contacted a spokesperson for Nikki for comment.

Artem and Nikki welcomed their son on 31 July 31 2020. It has been reported that the pair are fighting over custody as their divorce proceedings continue.

The once happy couple married in 26 August 2022 after a three-year engagement. The pair had met on Dancing With The Stars in 2017 where they competed as a couple on season 25 of the long-running American dance show.

In November last year, Artem opened up about how much Matteo had changed his and Nikki's lives - and discussed whether they were at that time planning to welcome more kids. He told Entertainment Tonight: "First of all, I never thought I'd be a dad, than I never thought I would have a son. He's part of the crew. I feel like the dance legacy needs to continue and hopefully it'll better the juniors. Then, who knows, all of our children will be actually doing it right."

On more kids, he said: "I'm not the one carrying [the child] around for nine months. So that's not going to be my question to answer."

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