Trevor Donovon has come to the defense of his former Dancing With the Stars partner, Emma Slater, amidst rumors that she is dating her season 32 partner, Mauricio Umansky. In a social media post, Donovan addressed the intense pressures of the show and the natural bond that forms between partners. He revealed that he grew close to Slater during their time on the show and that they are still very close today. Slater and Umansky have denied the romance rumors, stating that they are just good friends and that their hand-holding was simply a result of a conversation about their intense week on the show. Slater explained that the show’s process is intense and forms a special bond between the celebrity and their dance partner. The speculation about Slater and Umansky comes as Umansky is separated from wife Kyle Richards. Richards expressed her hurt over the hand-holding photos and deleted an Instagram post supporting Umansky and Slater’s DWTS partnership. Slater has faced romance rumors in the past as well, particularly during her partnership with Donovan in season 31. Both Donovan and Slater have praised their chemistry and connection on the show.