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Trevor Donovon is coming to former Dancing With the Stars associate Emma Slater’s protection.
The actor, 41, took to social media on Friday, October 27, to deal with rumors that Slater, 34, is courting her season 32 associate, Mauricio Umansky, amid his separation from spouse Kyle Richards.
“Many don’t perceive the extraordinary pressures of #DWTS,” Donovan wrote via X (previously often called Twitter) whereas reflecting again on his time on the present. “The exhaustive nature of the rehearsals, and the stress of the present night time efficiency. Forming a deep bond and friendship along with your associate is pure below such circumstances.”
Donovan — who additionally made headlines for his chemistry with Slater throughout their partnership — famous that he grew “very shut” to the Australia native throughout his time on the ABC competitors collection and that the 2 are nonetheless “very shut” right this moment. “I assume some will at all times see drama the place there’s none,” he stated.
Romance rumors between Slater and Umansky, 53, started to swirl earlier this month after they have been noticed holding arms in Beverly Hills. The duo addressed the speculation days later, insisting they’re nothing greater than “actually good buddies.”
“For full readability we aren’t courting,” Umansky shared in an Instagram Story video on Thursday, October 26. “We’ve been dancing collectively now for six weeks, 4 hours a day each single day.” The true property mogul defined that he and Slater went “to a restaurant to go get some sushi proper after rehearsal” after a “very intense” and emotional week.
“We have been speaking in regards to the week in the course of the dinner and after we got here out of dinner we have been recapping, and I reached out to seize Emma’s hand,” he stated. “She grabbed my hand after which we walked to the vehicles, simply recapping.”
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Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater attend Park Elm at Century Plaza launch occasion on October 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Vivien Killilea/Getty Pictures for Park Elm at Century Plaza
Slater — who filed for divorce from estranged husband and fellow DWTS professional Sasha Farber in February —then chimed in to name the present’s course of “intense,” including {that a} “very particular bond” is shaped between the celeb and their skilled dance associate, noting that she and Umansky share “comparable personalities.”
Hypothesis the pair’s relationship is extra than simply skilled comes amid Umansky’s separation from Richards, 54. Us Weekly confirmed in July the duo had separated after 27 years of marriage. On the time, the estranged couple shared a joint assertion about their “powerful 12 months” however insisted that they’d no plans to divorce. (Umansky and Richards share daughters Alexia, 27, Sophia, 23, and Portia, 15. Richards additionally shares daughter Farrah, 34, with first husband Guraish Aldjufrie.)
After the hand-holding images went viral, Richards deleted an Instagram publish from September in assist of Umansky and Slater’s DWTS partnership, later sharing that she was “harm” by the photographs.
“I don’t know if something’s occurred but, but obviously there’s something there,” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star advised host Andy Cohen in the course of the Wednesday, October 25, episode of Watch What Occurs Stay. “Hear, I like him very a lot and we’re amicable.” Richards added that she was “greatly surprised” by the snaps, which have been “very laborious” for her to see.
“That harm my emotions. … I simply don’t suppose you maintain arms like that with someone,” she stated.
Slater isn’t a stranger to romance rumors relating to her DWTS partnerships. Her relationship with Donovan raised eyebrows throughout season 31 when folks started to note their chemistry on the ballroom ground.
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“I gotta know — are these your performing abilities or was that actual?” cohost Alfonso Ribeiro requested the pair after they made waves for his or her attractive week 2 Rumba in September 2022, to which Donovan replied, “In the event you’re actually doing a great job performing, all of it comes from the reality so there’s one thing actual in each efficiency.”
Slater later advised reporters that individuals “count on that steam” and that companions are anticipated to “inform a narrative” with their dancing. “I actually imagine in Trevor. I imagine in his dance capability,” she continued. “I do know now we have this nice connection, this nice chemistry.”
Weeks later, Donovan praised his “familiar and light” chemistry with Slater throughout an October 2022 episode. “We have now a really acquainted and lightweight chemistry. It’s a enjoyable factor. It will probably present up as ardour on the dance ground, however we’re simply having enjoyable,” he stated. “We have now enjoyable day by day we rehearse even when she’s about to blow up as a result of I’m doing issues mistaken that I used to do proper. But it surely’s the levity and the lightness of our friendship and stuff, I believe, that actually interprets to the dance. So we’re simply one hundred pc comfy with one another.”