Brooks Nader wants to quit 'DWTS' over judges' 'unfair' critiques and 'disrespect' of Gleb Savchenko

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Brooks Nader is contemplating leaving 'Dancing With the Stars' due to what she perceives as the judges' "disrespect" towards her partner, Gleb Savchenko, according to an exclusive source for The US Sun.

The Sports Illustrated cover model expressed dissatisfaction with the "unfair" critiques they received in the latest episode, which many fans of the show echoed, especially given their low scores.

Disappointing judging overshadows steamy performance on 'Soul Train' night

The episode celebrated the iconic show 'Soul Train', featuring a much-anticipated performance by Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko. They danced a sensual rumba to Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual Healing', heavily promoted by hosts Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro. However, the judges' reactions were less enthusiastic than expected.

Derek Hough praised Brooks for her "beautiful leg extension" but expressed disappointment with the overall performance, stating, “I have to say, I wanted to see more. I felt like the 16 bars at the beginning were a little bit wasted. So I honestly would’ve given it a higher score if there was more of the beautiful dancing you showed tonight.”

Carrie Ann Inaba advised Brooks to concentrate on the "in between" moves of her dance, rather than just the poses. Guest judge Rosie Perez encouraged her to "incorporate her entire body" and “not just be a neck dancer,” a nod to her popular TikTok videos.

An awkward moment occurred during the post-performance interview when Julianne asked Brooks, “How difficult was it to focus this week when you take away the chemistry and the romance and all of that?” Brooks, seemingly irritated, bluntly replied, “That wasn’t hard at all honestly because we’re professionals so we know when to stop the play and get into it.” Gleb attempted to respond but was interrupted by Julianne, who rushed to the scoring.

The pair received a score of 7 from each judge, totaling 28, placing them in the lower half of the leaderboard. This outcome visibly frustrated Gleb, who rolled his eyes and muttered “whatever” after Derek suggested their score could have been higher with better choreography, saying, “It would’ve been higher” had the choreography been better.

Insider reveals Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko's frustration with judges’ harsh critiques

According to the insider, Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko felt the judges’ comments were disproportionately harsh compared to other couples who performed better. “They felt the commentary has been a lot harsher for them than other couples who performed better and do not feel it's fair. They don't agree with the scores last night and feel it's a result of how much the show is pushing their relationship,” the source explained. “Derek specifically went hard on them and Gleb was annoyed with that; he felt it was unfair.”

The source further revealed, “Brooks knows she can do better and loves this experience overall but she's talking about quitting the show. She won't; I don't think she's actually serious when she says that but she's mad with how the show is handling things and is mad with how they're treating Gleb the most."

The insider also highlighted Brooks’ growing affection for Gleb and her protectiveness toward him. “She has really grown to care for Gleb, and Gleb has worked on this show for years and they feel they're disrespectful to him. She’s becoming protective of her man. This process has been more isolating and difficult than I think she knew, so him being her rock throughout this brought them close together quickly.”

Friends of Brooks are concerned about the long-term implications of their relationship, given past rumors about Gleb's romantic history with partners. “Her friends are still worried about how it will play out when the season is over but they seem happy now,” the source added.

Producers capitalize on Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader's romance for ratings

Since the beginning of Season 33, producers have been "aggressively pushing" the perceived romance between Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader for ratings. “They know it’s good for ratings but also good for them to get votes so they’re leaning into it.” A source revealed that Brooks “has really started to fall for Gleb.”

“They are trying to play it somewhat cool even though it’s out there that they’re a thing now but behind closed doors, they have so much passion. But her friends are worried Gleb is just using her. In the past, there’s been rumors of him hooking up with his partner. And he does seem so charming and slick.”

Gleb and Brooks' ballroom connection has proven to lead itself off the dance floor, with the couple recently spotted on PDA-packed dates and even rumored to have gotten matching tattoos.