Cheryl Burke set the record straight about her relationships with the cast members of Dancing With the Stars—and why she’s returning to the show three years after her exit.
From 2006 to 2022, the pro dancer competed in 26 seasons of the ABC celebrity ballroom competition, but she was not asked back for a tribute dance in honor of late judge Len Goodman in 2023. But Burke will return to the DWTS ballroom for the first time in three years, this time as a guest judge for the Halloween theme night on Oct. 28.
In a new interview with People magazine, Burke, 41, confirmed that she has not spoken to any of the DWTS pro dancers or judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli since her exit from the ballroom. The only dancer she has recently communicated with—via text—is Emma Slater.
“It’s gonna be a huge reunion for sure,” Burke said of her upcoming guest stint. “I’m just really excited. Calling it nerves will only bring anxiety, so I’m gonna try and switch that to excitement.”
Burke previously revealed on the Amy and T.J. Podcast that she “definitely” did not feel like she was part of the DWTS “family” amid the Goodman dance diss and reaction to her DWTS-themed podcast, Sex, Lies & Spray Tans.
During an appearance on the Old-Ish podcast, she said, “What really hurts is when your old costars and co-workers do interviews about you. …It was never a family, I guess, for me. Because family … they don’t do that. They don’t abandon you when times are hard, but also when you decide to leave. What happened to the family?“
Despite all the dancer drama, Burke told People that “it just felt right” to make her return to the show in honor of its 20-year milestone season. “I think with any relationship, you have ups and downs, and that’s just the way life is,” she said.
As for what led to her return, Burke told Varietythat producers always knew she was interested in a guest judge role. “It was a mutual thing,” she said. “They reached out, obviously, and we took it from there. And I was never gonna say no, they know that.”
The two-time mirrorball champion also said she believes everyone has “moved on” from the past drama. “That happened a couple of years ago, and at the end of the day, they’re my family,” she said.
“It’s going to be so emotional,” Burke added of her return to the DWTS ballroom. “I am really excited to see everybody. It’s been so long. I’m excited to meet the new dancers and see the people behind the scenes, people that you don’t see on camera. I have so much history with this show.”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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