Sean Lowe has played a starring role in our living rooms from The Bachelor to Dancing with the Stars. And while we thank the Texas-born furniture company president-turned-reality star for giving us some serious (and shirtless) man candy to gawk at, he’s taking his new role as fiance and mirror ball trophy contender very seriously.

Lowe chats with Celebuzz about making it this far on DWTS, his future as a stripper (listen up, Bruno Tolioni), what he really wants at his wedding, and those pesky rumors that his pro partner Peta Murgatroyd is coming between him and his wife-to-be Catherine Giudici.

You’ve made it so far on the show and are now in your eighth week. Have you surprised yourself with how far you’ve come?

I don’t want to say it’s surprising because I’m so competitive (laughs), but I understand I’m not the most gifted dancer. I know Kellie [Pickler], Zendaya and Ali [Raisman] are better dancers, but I’m trying to maybe out-work them and put in more time than they are. So I’m trying to stick around as long as I can and hopefully my work ethic will make up for lack of natural talent.

You’ve also been able to sidestep injury, unlike so many others past and present. Have you been close or staying on your feet?

The show is physically grueling and I do have aches and pains and my body is sore. But I’ve been really lucky I haven’t had any major injuries or setbacks. I consider myself really lucky.

You’ve come so far since The Bachelor that you’re now even Boots’ No7 Men’s skincare brand ambassador. We take it you’re not just one of those guys that uses soap.

It’s a great skincare line and it’ll be in the States at Walgreens June 1. I started using their moisturizer with SPF and it makes it feel good and fresh. Taking care of myself is important to me and I want to look good. I’m a guy so I don’t have a crazy routine so I’ll use a face wash in the shower and I’ve always use a moisturizer. You gotta use more than soap! (laughs)

You’re not only working your skills on the dance floor, but you’ve definitely become a pro at dealing with the media. Every week it’s something else. Do you avoid the magazines altogether?

I do avoid the magazines. I don’t go out and browse the magazines. But I see stuff and people post it on Twitter and they’re always asking me ‘is this true?’ The fact of the matter is if you read in the tabloids, it’s not true. Catherine and I are doing great.

So you’re setting the record straight — nothing is going on between you and Peta?

There’s always speculation and I knew going in to Dancing with the Stars, whether it’s Peta or another professional dancer, they’re all attractive women I knew those rumors were going to circulate. There’s nothing going on there. Catherine and I couldn’t be better. It’s just silly.

Jake Pavelka spoke with us just before the season started and gave you some advice. He said to include Catherine in your job and have her create her own relationship with Peta so it’s also on her terms. Is that wise advice?

I think I’ve done a great job with that because she has become really good friend with Peta. So she does feel like she’s a part of it.

Well, on another note, Bruno Tonioli gave you some professional insight after your shirtless performance last week. He said if you ever quit your day job stripping is in your future.

Don’t hold your breath, Bruno. (laughs) I would have to really be hurting for money to resort to stripping. I don’t se that happening.

So no Magic Mike 2 auditions any time soon.

No Magic Mike, no Chippendales. (laughs) Nothing like that.

What do you think about your new sex symbol status?

The funny thing is, I didn’t set out to be a sex symbol. I never considered myself a sex symbol. I guess it just happened naturally on The Bachelor because my shirt was off every episode. So I don’t feel any pressure. (laughs)

Have you and Catherine decided on anything yet for your wedding?

We kick around ideas, but we haven’t had the chance to sit down and plan the details. So we have a general idea of what we want in a wedding.

Can you give us any hints?

I think she wants a traditional ceremony and we both want a big party for the reception with all the family and friends and we just want it to be fun.

Do you have anything planned to spend time together as an engaged couple with no cameras around?

After the show is over we’re going to go on vacation. We don’t know where yet, but we want to sit on a beach and do nothing for like a week.

You had some of the best dates on The Bachelor which would be hard to live up to off camera. So what’s date night like for you and Catherine now?

One of the reasons I fell in love with Catherine is because she is so laid back and she doesn’t need the extravagant stuff that The Bachelor brings. So I go dancing eight hours a day and I always want to do something with her to spend quality time with her like going out to eat or take a walk through the park with my two dogs. And that’s what she wants, too. She doesn’t need the top dates.

Do you think Sean and Catherine will be one of the rare Bachelor couples who actually make it to the altar? Tell us in the comments below.

Jake Pavelka has some advice for Sean Lowe, Bachelor to Bachelor.

Two years ago, Pavelka went from looking for love to doing the cha-cha on Dancing With the Stars, so he knows a thing or two about balancing everything from a new fiancée to newly found fame.

“As long as he stays grounded, keeps his career and enjoys this as far as it will go, he’ll see a lot of success,” Pavelka told Celebuzz.

“Reality is not a career, it’s just a short moment in time to do something interesting.”

Despite his stardom from both ABC series, Pavelka has still worked as a commercial airline pilot. And he says it won’t be just about Lowe’s performance on the dance floor, but about how he relates with new fiancée Catherine Giudici that will win him the highest scores.

“No matter how secure a woman is, when she sees her man dancing the way he’s going to with another woman, it would make anyone crazy,” said Pavelka, who was engaged to Vienna Girardi when he made it to the sixth round with pro Chelsie Hightower.

“If I were in her shoes, I would too!” he added.

Lowe also needs to be 100% committed to the competition, but with caution.

“Don’t shut out your sweetheart,” Pavelka said. “You have to have a high level of communication with what you’re dong on the dance floor because she’s going to see everything. I encouraged Vienna to have her own relationship with Chelsie. So when it looked like I was kissing on her neck, it wasn’t a big deal.”

Just one night after proposing on The Bachelor season 17 finale, Lowe, 26, announced he was joining the ballroom competition with partner Peta Murgatroyd.

“Make sure Catherine knows Peta so she knows she’s safe and he’s set up boundaries,” Pavelka advised.

“It’s a very sexual show and the audience loves it and wants to see it. If you’ve noticed, some of the celebrities date the dancers and the audience digs it and it builds ratings.

“He’s going to be all over the place and in the press with another girl and it’s important that he’s open with Catherine about the way she feels.”

Despite the pressures on and off camera, Pavelka — who’s happily dating TV and Broadway queen Kristin Chenoweth – predicts Lowe will take home the coveted Mirror Ball trophy.

“I think Sean is a solid guy. He has his head on straight, has great values and I don’t think they’re going to have any trouble,” he said. “These are just the things they’re going to have to deal with as a couple,” he said.

“I predict that he’s going to go all the way — at least to the semifinals, if not the finals.”

Do you think Catherine has anything to worry about with her fiance Sean showing off his sexy moves on DWTS? Tell us what you really think, below.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy wants you to know he won’t be leaving ABC’s Dancing with the Stars just yet.

When Celebuzz caught up with the dancer at Entertainment Weekly’s pre-Emmy party, he confirmed his departure at the end of his current contract with us. “I won’t be leaving,” said Chmerkovskiy, “I think all of us are looking forward to moving on after our contracts our done. Our contract is pretty long. I enjoyed everything. But I think it is kind of silly to think we are going to stick around after 15/16 seasons of the show. I’m not going anywhere. I got Kirstie. I’ve got a new season coming up and I’m very excited about that.”

There you have it, the controversial DWTS star will be hanging up his dancing shoes after two more seasons.

What is the professional dancer excited about on the upcoming season?

“I just want to see the outcome,” says the 32-year-old. “I am a fan and I am just one of the viewers. There are no predictions and you don’t know what’s going to happen. I just want to get started.”

Chmerkovskiy’s girlfriend and fellow DTWS alum, Peta Murgatroyd added that she thinks the pressure is really on the pros for this season as opposed to the celebrities.

“We have got to come up with really good routines every week, you can’t just put together a mediocre routine. It’s like starting off in the semi-finals really. It’s going to be tough. Monday night is going to be interesting,” she says.

So is Chmerkovskiy watching out for any particular duo when the new season begins?

“We have 7 past winners. Pretty much everyone has been to the finals,” he said of his competition. “They all have proven themselves. They all became characters enough to be forces to be reckoned with. I think it’s anybody’s game.”

Chmerkovskiy will be re-teaming with Kirstie Alley for this All-Star edition.

You can watch Chmerkovskiy’s entire interview above.

Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars premieres Monday at 8 PM on ABC.

Who do you think will win the popular show this season? Sound off in the comments below!

To hear former ‘Dancing with the Stars’ contestant and ‘Shark Tank’ investor Mark Cuban’s thoughts on Chmerkovskiy’s exit from the show ( and what he thinks the appeal of ‘Shark Tank’ is, watch the video below!

Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars is just around the corner, premiering on ABC on Sept. 24, and the contestants are taking these even more seriously this time around.

Gilles Marini, 36, is making sure that he takes home the champion title by enduring even more grueling workouts than before.

The actor told Celebuzz at the In Touch Icons & Idols MTV VMA after party on Sept. 6, “I’m working harder and the first time I worked so hard so I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

What is Marini doing differently to prepare for the All-Star season?

Marini’s dance partner, Peta Murgatroyd, 26, surprisingly isn’t the one cracking the whip during rehearsals. “I go until she says stop which means she usually says stop before I say stop. She was like ‘I’m tired, I can’t breathe anymore,’ and I’m like ‘let’s do more’,” Marini gushed.

All the pressure and hours logged into the dance studio have already taken a toll on the hunk, however. “I hurt my Achilles a bit so I’m putting weight on my left side.”

Marini admitted that even though he got as far as runner-up in season eight with then-partner Cheryl Burke, 28, he’s his “worst critic.”

So what’s different for Marini this time and how is he going to ensure that he wins the dance competition this season?

“My dedication, I’m going to work until the last minute to make it so beautiful that every dance (performance) people will be mesmerized.”

Do you think Marini will win this season? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

It’s official: Dancing With The Stars pros Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmerkovskiy are no longer fox-trotting around their relationship status — confirming to Celebuzz they’re offically an item.

“There is nothing I don’t like (about him),” Australian dancer Murgatroyd, 30, gushed at the Australians in Film Breakthrough Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., on Wednesday night.

“We get each other insanities,” Chmerkovskiy, 32, retorted.

It’s the first confirmation from the pair of their relationship status after being snapped mid-smooch on the dance floor of the XS nightclub in Las Vegas in May.

The Ukrainian heartthrob, who danced with celebrity partner, actress Melissa Gilbert on the last series – said there were countless things that he admired about Murgatroyd.

“There is a big list,” Chmerkovskiy added. “But I think just genuiness is probably the first thing that comes into my mind. Especially in this environment — that is a great trend.”

The last season of Dancing With The Stars was certainly good for Murgatroyd — she not only walked away with a new man but also won the mirror ball trophy with her partner, footballer Donald Driver.

Do you think these to have found love in a dancing place? Sound off below.