Brooks Nader Reveals the One Way She’d Ever Return to ‘DWTS’—and Yes, It’s a Dig at Gleb Savchenko

The SI Swimsuit Legend revealed her one condition during an event for the 2025 issue launch.

Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ / Disney/Eric McCandless

Though 2024 was a huge year for model Brooks Nader, 2025 is shaping up to be an even bigger one. The Louisiana native, who was initiated into the class of SI Swimsuit Legends last year for the 60th anniversary, ventured into the world of reality TV in late 2024 as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars. And while she’s now filming her own series alongside her three sisters, titled Love Thy Nader, don’t expect the 28-year-old to join another established franchise anytime soon.

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Nader, who returns to SI Swimsuit in her seventh year for the 2025 magazine, out now, attended the brand’s Social Club pop-up this past weekend, a two-day event in celebration of the latest issue. In addition to being a guest in a live episode taping of the Taste of Taylor podcast, she also participated in a segment called “Sink or Swim,” where she and other models answered a series of “yes or no” and “would you rather” questions.

Hosted by former Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe, Nader was asked if she would rather compete on another season of Dancing With the Stars or become the next Bachelorette—and frankly, Nader was so turned off by both options. Admitting she wouldn’t want to do either, the model and content creator ended up choosing DWTS under one condition.

Kaitlyn Bristowe, XANDRA, Brooks Nader, Nicole Williams English and Jena Sims at the 2025 SI Swimsuit Social Club / Ivan Piedra

According to Nader, she would do Dancing With the Stars again if she “got a partner who would actually focus on teaching” her dances. Of course, she’s taking a jab at Gleb Savchenko, her professional dancer partner for the season who she had an on-and-off again relationship with.

While the pair delivered great performances together, they were eliminated fifth, and if Nader’s recent comment is any indication, it seems Savchenko might’ve focused more on their romance than the competition.

While chatting with Bristowe, Nader also added that she would like to be partnered with Alan Bersten or Pasha Pashkov if she were to ever compete on DWTS again.

Nader and Savchenko had a whirlwind romance, with many accusing their dynamic of simply being a “showmance.” But the two have maintained that their relationship was real, and during an appearance on the Chicks in the Office podcast last week, Nader set the record straight again.

While on the show to promote the 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue, Nader explained, “Day one, when I met him, I was like, ‘Oh, this is perfect. This isn’t gonna go anywhere serious, I know exactly what I’m gonna do here and it’s going to be a bit.’ Day two, I was in love and it wasn’t a bit anymore. And I was actually really, really into him.”

The pair reportedly called it quits for the last time in April.

For the latest SI Swimsuit issue, Nader traveled to the gorgeous, tropical Bermuda, where she posed for Ben Watts’s lens. Her return to the fold is still just as exciting as ever, with the model telling us on the red carpet ahead of the launch party last week that it still feels like the first year. “I’m so honored to be amongst all of these beautiful women,” she stated.

Brooks Nader was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by That’s So Fetch. Earrings by JÉBLANC. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

The 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue is available online and at select newsstands now. Order your copy here.

https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746734377/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtrqps2c5vs9w73yvb.jpg. Brooks’s 2025 Gallery. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746130619/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jt6qxc417zegvkmxtb.jpg. More Brooks. All 2025 Models. Brooks Nader Content. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746835821/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jtvrdh3rwd1908aj9x.jpg