Speculation Arises Over Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater's Hand-holding on 'DWTS'

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Having competed on Dancing With the Stars himself, Nick Viall speculates on the reasons behind Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater being seen holding hands.

On the October 26 episode of the "Viall Files" podcast, when asked by his cohosts if there was any justification for DWTS partners to become intimate outside of the ballroom, the 43-year-old former Bachelor responded concisely.

Viall jokingly stated, "For votes. On Dancing With the Stars, they enjoy a romantic couple dynamic. Some individuals exaggerate it, while others genuinely develop feelings. In the past, there have been marriages between pro partners, but some relationships are merely fabricated."

Viall appeared on season 24 of DWTS, where he danced with Peta Murgatroyd. He was engaged to Vanessa Grimaldi at the time, but they broke up in August 2017. Viall then moved on with Natalie Joy, while Grimaldi found love with Josh Wolfe.

Umansky, aged 53, was seen holding hands with Slater, aged 34, while having dinner in Beverly Hills on Sunday, October 22. This happened just days before their "Most Memorable Year" dance on the live show on Tuesday, October 24. Umansky dedicated their contemporary performance to his now-estranged wife, Kyle Richards.

Umansky and Slater have not commented on their offscreen relationship, but Viall stated on the podcast that he believes it could be genuine.

Umansky, who is married to Richards and has been since 1996, has three daughters with her. He is also the stepfather of Richards' eldest daughter, Farrah, from a previous relationship. In July, it was confirmed that the couple, who appeared on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, were going through a difficult period in their marriage. However, they released a statement at the time asserting that they had no intentions of getting divorced. Almost two months later, Umansky revealed to TMZ that he and Richards are currently separated.

During the October 25 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Richards spoke candidly about the challenges in her marriage. She disclosed that she and her husband are still residing in the same house but have chosen to sleep in separate bedrooms. Additionally, she expressed her emotional distress upon seeing pictures of Umansky and Slater together. Richards admitted that the images deeply affected her and were the reason she decided to delete her September Instagram post showing her support for their partnership on DWTS. She expressed her belief that holding hands in that manner signifies something more than just friendship. Despite her hurt, Richards emphasized that she still loves her husband and that they have a respectful relationship.

Richards, despite her upset over Umansky's actions, confirmed that she still voted for him on Tuesday night. To provide evidence, she shared screenshots of her vote in their family group chat.

While Umansky and Slater draw attention off camera, they are not the sole partners from season 32 who are causing a stir.

Viall joked about Harry Jowsey, who is also on Dancing With the Stars, and said that his relationship with Rylee Arnold is the most fake relationship of all. He compared them to Umansky and Slater. Harry is known for being an expert on the internet and is not genuine when it comes to his relationships. He will do anything for attention and votes, although he seems like a nice guy. He gets away with a lot. Jowsey and Rylee have not spoken about the status of their relationship.