Several 'Dancing with the Stars' Fan Favorites Have Been Fired or Suddenly Let Go Since 2019 (Including 2 Not Returning in 2021!)

Dancer Artem Chigvintsev – FIRED IN 2019, BUT EVENTUALLY RE-HIRED!

Longtime dancer on the show, Artem Chigvintsev, found out he would not be returning via a phone call from an executive producer just a few days before the cast reveal in late August of 2019. He will be back on the dance floor for the 2021 season, debuting tonight.

“There was kind of always talk between the casting producers and all of the dancers — we’ve all been in a big group text. They were kind of letting us know what was going to happen, how soon the promo shoots were, the announcement, etc., but I never got an official letter. So I was like, ‘OK, today’s Friday, I still haven’t gotten an official letter.’ And usually, dancers talk between each other, like, ‘Hey, did you hear anything?’ So I texted a couple of people like, ‘Hey guys, have you heard anything?’ I haven’t gotten a response from any of them, so I was like, OK, this is really strange, usually you get a response … and no one was, like, ignoring my texts, but they hadn’t gotten back to me in like three or four hours. So I was wondering, like, am I the only person who hasn’t heard anything? So I called producers and said, ‘Hey, can you guys let me know what is happening? I want to know what’s going on.’ I got a response back saying like, ‘Hey, we’ll let you know tonight by the end of the day what’s happening.’”

“Usually, they’ll kinda say, ‘Don’t worry, we’re just trying to figure out logistics,’ so that was kind of the first red [flag] that something was really off. I had been waiting the whole day and no one called me, and then I was just sitting in bed, I think it was like 8 p.m., and I got a text from an executive producer, saying like, ‘Hey, could you give me a call?’ That’s when I kind of knew it was not going to be good news because that’s not how it usually works. On the call it was just, ‘Unfortunately I have bad news for you. You’re not going to be a part of this season.’ I didn’t really expect it to go that way,” he told ET at the time of his 2019 firing.