Mauricio Umansky addressed dating rumors about his Dancing with the Stars partner and clarified that they are not in a romantic relationship, but simply have a close, supportive friendship. His estranged wife, Kyle Richards, expressed hurt and concern after photos surfaced of Umansky holding hands with his partner, adding to speculation about the status of their relationship. Umansky and Richards had previously denied divorce rumors, and now are navigating a public separation following claims of infidelity and their close relationships with others.
Mauricio Umansky and his Dancing with the Stars partner, Emma Slater, denied dating rumors and explained that they were holding hands as a result of their close bond, despite his estranged wife Kyle Richards expressing hurt over the photos.
On October 26, 2023, Mauricio Umansky, the estranged husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards, set the record straight regarding the dating rumors involving his Dancing with the Stars partner, Emma Slater. The rumors arose after photographs surfaced showing Umansky and Slater holding hands after a dinner, leading to speculation about a potential romantic relationship.
In a video posted to social media, Umansky addressed the situation, stating, “We do want to address this story, this whole thing that’s going out and about, about whether Emma and I are dating. About whether we went out on a date. For full clarity, we are not dating.” Slater also confirmed they are not dating and emphasized that they are good friends who have formed a strong bond while dancing together.
The photos that sparked the rumors showed Umansky and Slater holding hands in a parking lot after dinner, with some reports alleging that they were even kissing inside the restaurant. However, Umansky explained that the interaction was misconstrued, clarifying, “We went to a restaurant to go get some sushi right after rehearsal…Lots of the stories are wrong…It’s a very emotional week… and when we came out of dinner, we were recapping and I reached out to grab Emma’s hand, and she grabbed my hand. And then we walked to the cars.”
The situation had evidently caused distress for Richards, as she spoke out about the hand-holding photos on Watch What Happens Live, expressing that it hurt her feelings. She also hinted at suspicions regarding the nature of the relationship between Umansky and Slater. The dating rumors involving Umansky and Slater come in the midst of ongoing speculation about the state of Umansky and Richards’ marriage, as they previously denied rumors of divorce, only to later confirm their separation. Additionally, they have faced speculation about extramarital relationships, with Richards’ close friendship with a female country singer coming under scrutiny.
