Jesse Metcalfe Calls Sharna Burgess 'Highly Unprofessional' for 'Insinuations' About His 'DWTS' Conduct: Rep
Earlier this week, the professional dancer recalled not being "able to be in the room alone" with her "really difficult" partner — who she did not name — on season 29 of 'Dancing with the Stars'
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Sharna Burgess and Jesse MetcalfeNew light is being shed on Jesse Metcalfe's side of the story after Sharna Burgess made claims about their Dancing with the Stars partnership.
A rep for the Desperate Housewives alum, 44, responded to Burgess recalling him a "really difficult" partner for season 29 of the ABC dance competition on the latest episode of podcast Old·ish. (Burgess did not name Metcalfe but he was partnered with Burgess that season.)
“If she is referring to a time where our client Jesse Metcalfe worked with Ms. Burgess four years ago, the only recollection was that they didn’t get along,” the rep tells PEOPLE in a statement.
“Vague insinuations are not only reckless but also irrelevant," the rep continues, before referring to the professional dancer, 38, as “highly unprofessional” for publicly making “insinuations just to promote the first episode of her podcast.”
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Sharna Burgess and Jesse Metcalfe perform on 'Dancing with the Stars' on October 12, 2020The rep also adds that Metcalfe is personally "not commenting on this. He is taking the high road."
A rep for Burgess did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Related: Sharna Burgess Admits It Was a 'Shock' Not Being Asked Back for 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 32
On the Sept. 12 debut episode of her new podcast Old·ish — which she co-hosts with her boyfriend Brian Austin Green and Randy Spelling — Burgess reflected on her journey after becoming a pro on the ABC dance competition in 2013.
“My win with Bobby was I think the most explosive and controversial of Dancing with the Stars history and I got caught up in this whirlwind of hate for that win which was really yucky,” she said, referring to her season 27 win with TV personality Bobby Bones.
She admitted that she was in “this space of self-blame” when she was not asked back the following season. After working through her struggles during the hiatus from the show, Burgess returned to the ballroom for season 29 and was partnered with Metcalfe until they were eliminated in week four of the competition.
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Sharna Burgess and Jesse Metcalfe perform on 'Dancing with the Stars' on September 28, 2020Related: 'Dancing with the Stars': Mauricio Umansky, Jason Mraz and Alyson Hannigan Among Cast for Season 32
“They had me back the following season and I had a partner that was really difficult — and not say too much because I don’t want to,” she said. “I wasn’t able to be in the room alone with him after the first couple of weeks because of things that happened.”
She added, “That was rocky and we were eliminated very quickly.”
After her claims, Metcalfe's rep told PEOPLE in a statement, "There is really no story here. Jesse is a gentleman and prefers to take the high road."
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Dancing with the Stars season 32 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and will stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
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