Peta Murgatroyd, the Dancing With The Stars professional dancer, is dating her show rival Maksim Chmerkovskiy, according to a production insider who spoke with US Weekly magazine.
The source admits that the romance is new, though claims the pair are already "serious" about one another, adding, "Maks wanted a girlfriend.Peta is really sweet and an amazing girl who had a crush on him for a long time". Maksim, 32, was paired with the recently eliminated Melissa Gilbert this season, though Murgatroyd still has high hopes for the Mirror Ball trophy with partner Donald Driver. The source adds that their rivalry in the competition appears to have pushed them closer together, adding, "They are really happy together and having a great time". It's not the first time Maksim has found love on the show - he famously got engaged to fellow professional Karina Smirnoff in 2008, though the pair broke things off in 2009.
Peta joined the cast of Dancing With The Stars during the 12th season, as one of the troupe members. In season 13, she partnered basketball player Ron Artest - now known as Metta World Peace - but they became the first couple to be eliminated. Maksim has twice been a runner-up on the show, first with Mel B, and then with Kirstie Alley last year.