PureDWTS Season 23 Cast Rumors & Watchout – Is Gleb Savchenko Returning As a Pro?

Guys, I waffled over whether to even post this or not, because The Sun is pretty…tabloid-y, and of dubious veracity. But if nothing else, you can discuss and possibly giggle over it – because they are claiming that Gleb is returning as a pro this season to “replace Derek”:

HE quit Strictly Come Dancing earlier this year to spend more time in his native Russia.

But now heartthrob pro dancer GLEB SAVCHENKO is waltzing over to the US for their version of the show after accepting a big money offer for Dancing With the Stars.

He will move over to Los Angeles along with his wife Elena and daughter Olivia for the 23rd series which kicks off next month.

A telly insider said: “Producers in the US offered Gleb a deal which was too good to refuse and he jumped at the chance to take it.

“As well as a hefty pay cheque, they’re sorting his living arrangements and education for his family.

“His wife and daughter are his top priorities but producers assured him they would take good care of them so taking the job was a real no-brainer.”

The announcement will officially be made at an event in Los Angeles later this evening.

But he will have big shoes to fill when he takes to the dance floor as he is replacing one of the show’s most famous dancers, DEREK HOUGH.

I could barely get through the article without laughing, for several reasons.  First, there is no “replacing” Derek – to truly “replace” Derek, they’d have to find another male pro with 6 MBT’s, 2 Emmy’s, movie experience, stage experience, and music experience under their belt – and that’s a tall order, and it’s certainly NOT Gleb.  If anything, he’d simply be filling a vacancy left by Derek’s departure – but it wouldn’t be like he’d fit seamlessly into D’s shoes.  Second of all – why all of a sudden would TPTB decide to bend over backwards to accommodate a guy that has (1) season as a pro (with an early elim) and one season in the troupe under his belt, after not having him for 3 years? Sure, he did stints on SCD and DWTS Russia, but aside from Artem (who has actually turned out to be a dud), DWTS isn’t exactly known for aggressively pursuing the pros of other iterations of the show.  Now suddenly they’re willing to relocate Gleb & his family, provide them with education, and a hefty paycheck? Riiiiight.

Gleb’s hot – I’ll give him that.  But a sparkling personality and brilliant choreography he is not. Given that he allegedly left SCD in order to “spend more time with his family”, it seems fishy that he’d suddenly accept a position on DWTS…then again, money (and potential exposure) talks.  I heard someone mention that it’s supposed to get announced tonight at the event at The Grove, but can’t recall if someone was just speculating and the internet ran with it or it was from a legitimate source. But stranger things have happened…thoughts?