When Cheryl Burke left Dancing With the Stars after Season 31, it was definitely a surprise. The longtime pro shared a sentimental message following her official retirement from DWTS, and while it sounded like she was still on good terms with the dancing competition series, it hasn’t looked like that recently. Most notably when the show paid tribute to the late Len Goodman and brought back several former pros, not including Burke. Now, she’s opening up about the tribute and the aftermath of her exit.
Burke went on the record on her podcast, Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans to clear the air about her feelings about DWTS. It’s been almost two years since she said goodbye to the ballroom, and when she did, it wasn’t as easy as one might think. Burke was on the series for 26 seasons, and she admitted the show was her life... right up until it wasn't.
This was my whole identity, right, so this was my life. My whole life was consumed around Dancing With the Stars and the people that were involved, more of the people that worked behind the scenes than the actual dancers, like, they were my family. And so it’s not just a dance show. I don’t even know what that means, to be quite honest. Like, as if you’re a true fan of Dancing With the Stars, you’d know that we put our blood, sweat, and tears into every single season. No matter who our partner is or how long we last, it doesn’t matter.
After her time ended, what seems to have been really tough is the fact she feels some of her former DWTS co-stars dropped her. Burke opened up about how there’s a family element to the series, as many casts have in both TV and film, which is why it hurt so much to be ghosted, no matter what for:
This show, there’s that family element, right, but then that’s what makes all of this stuff, like the ghosting or the not communicating hurt even more, you know, than if it were just a nine to five job. So, I think unless you’ve been on TV and been a part of a show for 24 seasons, you can’t really understand it. And that’s okay.
While Cheryl Burke didn’t go too much into the ghosting, it’s possible that this could have something to do with the Len Goodman tribute. Fans slammed DWTS for leaving out her and Sharna Burgess, especially considering how big of a part they had in the series. However, Burke does have an idea about why she was left out of the tribute, and while she’s no longer holding a grudge, clearly things aren't in a great place with her relationships at DWTS.
I do get nervous sometimes with certain things that get taken out of context, especially in the press. But for the most part, I mean, I guess I have been in trouble for the past couple of years, right? Like, I didn’t get invited to Len Goodman’s tribute. All good, you know, I’m not holding on to that any longer. But, like, this is just, I’m just stating the facts. I don’t think my relationship with them could get any worse, basically, is what I’m trying to say.
The podcast opened up a lot more about her Hollywood career too. She admitted she struggled with not knowing what to do after she decided to exit, calling it "scary." But there's no reward without risk, and that's why she took it.
I think my fear in general was when I made the decision to leave the show is, like, what the hell am I going to do? And I’m still figuring it out, and that sometimes is scary. I’m like, really, how much longer am I figuring it out for? But I think people may not want to face it. But this is life in general. Like it’s just like if you want to take a risk, or if you want to change jobs, professions, or whatever you want to do, if you want to get out of a relationship, it’s always scary because there’s always this unknown.
With DWTS gearing up for Season 33 later on the 2024 TV schedule, the show has had a long rotating cast of pros. It’s never easy seeing your favorite pro leave, and sometimes, luckily, it’s only for a season or two. Other times, it’s permanent, and that seems to be the case for Burke.
