• Ex-Strictly star held on suspicion of domestic violence
• The 42-year-old was booked into Napa County jail in California
• He was arrested under section 273.5(a) of the California penal code

Ex-Strictly star held on suspicion of domestic violence

Artem Chigvintsev, the former Strictly Come Dancing star, has been arrested in the U.S. on suspicion of domestic violence, according to jail records. The 42-year-old professional dancer was booked into Napa County jail in California on Thursday morning.

Chigvintsev, who won the eighth series of Strictly in 2010 with partner Kara Tointon, has been a regular on Dancing With The Stars, the U.S. version of the show, since 2014. He was arrested under section 273.5(a) of the California penal code, which involves causing traumatic injury to a spouse or cohabitant in an act of domestic violence. This offence can be classified as either a misdemeanour or a felony, with the latter carrying a potential sentence of up to four years in prison.

It remains unclear whether Chigvintsev’s current wife, Nikki Garcia—formerly known as WWE star Nikki Bella—is involved in the incident. The couple, who met on Dancing With The Stars in 2017, married in 2022 and recently celebrated their second wedding anniversary.