Fern Britton didn’t step around the topic of her time on “Strictly Come Dancing.”
The 67-year-old accused her partner on the competition series, Artem Chigvintsev, of having “kicked and shoved” her while on the show, per Daily Mail.
Britton’s interview has resurfaced since the “Dancing With the Stars” pro, 42, was arrested for domestic violence Thursday morning.
The English TV presenter and author said in a 2015 conversation with The Times newspaper that “[Artem] would look at my feet and just kick me or shove me.”
Britton, who was eliminated fifth on the show’s 10th season in 2012, recalled Chigvintsev allegedly saying: “You just stand there and don’t move; I dance round you.”
She added: “He was like, ‘Shut your face. Go home before I kill you.’”
“I would say, ‘Oh please just kill me, it would be easier,’” Britton continued. “Or what was his other one? ‘If you go for a cup of tea now, I will blow off like an atomic bomb.’ I thought, well I won’t correct him on that one.”
The author also explained that while she and Chigvintsev “did love each other for a moment or two,” her partner “wasn’t charm personified.”
As Britton put it: “I did kind of enjoy it, but it was grim at the same time.”
Chigvintsev responded to the “Breakfast Time” co-host’s claims at the time, telling the Daily Express in 2015: “I believe I treated Fern with respect and genuine care and these claims about me are the opposite of everything I believe in and the person I am.”
“I cannot imagine what has prompted such statements which come as a shock to me,” he concluded.
In 2014, Chigvintsev exited “Strictly” to compete on “Dancing With the Stars.” He most recently danced last year on Season 32 alongside Charity Lawson, coming in fourth place.
The Post confirmed that the Napa County Sheriff’s Department arrested Chigvintsev just before 10 a.m. on a felony domestic violence charge. His bail is set at $25,000 and he is still in lockup, according to online records. The booking report listed the “West End” performer at 175 pounds and 5 feet-9 inches.
A rep for the Napa County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ that deputies responded to a domestic violence call in the town of Yountville and that an arrest was made at the scene with injuries being reportedly involved.
The victim has asked for total confidentiality, per the sheriff’s rep, as the investigation remains ongoing.
As of now, it remains unclear if Chigvintsev’s wife, Nikki Garcia, was involved in the alleged altercation.
Meanwhile, a source told Page Six, “There were no plans for Artem Chigvintsev to be a part of Season 33 of ‘Dancing With the Stars,’” which premieres Sept. 17 on ABC.
The Post reached out to a rep for Chigvintsev.
Garcia, 40, had been active on social media just a day prior, posting Instagram stories from Napa Valley while getting a facial.
The professional wrestler and Chigvintsev tied the knot in August 2022 and celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary on Monday.
Garcia posted lyrics to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” and took a moment to explain the meaning behind the tune.
“This song is our love story,” she captioned the Instagram clip. “I’ll never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem. Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast. And then this song came on.”
Garcia continued, “That’s when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be.”
Chigvintsev also expressed his love for his wife, referring to the retired athlete as his “everything.”
He gushed, “Happy anniversary my love, can’t see my life with out [sic] you.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
