You probably remember the glitter, the two Mirrorball trophies, and those intense tangos. For nearly twenty years, Cheryl Burke was the face of Dancing With the Stars. She was the pro who could turn anyone—from NFL stars like Emmitt Smith to Bachelor contestants—into a dancer. Then, suddenly, she was gone. One day she’s the veteran queen of the ballroom, and the next, she’s "retired."
What happened to Cheryl Burke?
It wasn't just a simple "thanks for the memories" exit. Honestly, the story is way messier than what you saw on Tuesday nights. It involves a high-profile divorce, a bitter custody battle over a French bulldog named Lucy, and a massive pivot into the world of mental health advocacy.
The Real Reason Cheryl Left the Ballroom
In 2022, Cheryl officially hung up her dancing shoes after 26 seasons. She said she was tired. The "wear and tear" on her body was real. You’ve gotta understand that these pros aren't just dancing; they're choreographing, teaching, and filming around the clock for months. At 41, her heart just wasn't in the 14-hour rehearsal days anymore.
But there was a catch.
She didn't just want to leave; she wanted a seat at the judges' table. Cheryl has been vocal about feeling like she’d "graduated" from being a pro. She wanted to be the next Carrie Ann Inaba or Len Goodman. When the show didn't offer her a permanent judging spot, the relationship got a bit... chilly.
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Cheryl actually had to fight to even get a farewell dance in Season 31. Her team had to put their foot down. Think about that: 26 seasons, and she almost didn't get a goodbye. That’s kinda wild.
Life After the Mirrorball: Podcasts and "Scorched Earth"
Once she was out, she didn't stay quiet. She launched her podcast, Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans. She started "spilling the tea." She talked about the toxic behind-the-scenes culture. She interviewed former pros who felt the same way.
Predictably, this didn't make her many friends back at the studio.
For a while, she was basically persona non grata. Some of her former coworkers, like Maks Chmerkovskiy and Val Chmerkovskiy, even unfollowed her. There was this feeling that she’d gone "scorched earth" on the hand that fed her. She even missed the big Len Goodman tribute in 2023, which she theorized was because of her podcast.
The Matthew Lawrence Divorce and the Dog Battle
While her career was shifting, her personal life was imploding. She filed for divorce from Boy Meets World star Matthew Lawrence in early 2022. They had been the "it" couple, having reunited years after their first breakup.
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The split got ugly, but not over money. They had a prenup.
The real war was over Lucy, their French bulldog. Cheryl literally said she was willing to go to trial to keep her dog. "She’s my daughter," she told interviewers. It was a bizarre, heartbreaking look at how even "clean" divorces can get nasty when there are no kids, just pets. They eventually settled, and Cheryl kept Lucy, but the emotional toll was huge.
Seven Years of Sobriety and a Body Transformation
If you follow her on Instagram now, she looks different. She’s lost about 30 to 35 pounds. People on the internet—as they usually do—started whispering about Ozempic or surgery.
Cheryl shut that down fast.
She’s been incredibly open about her struggle with body dysmorphia. She spent decades being told she was "too fat for TV" even when she was a size 4. Now, she’s focusing on "radical accountability." As of late 2025, she celebrated seven years of sobriety. She realized that for years, alcohol was her "liquid courage" to deal with social anxiety and the pressure of being watched by millions.
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She’s basically a different person now. She’s not "the dancer" anymore; she’s a woman who walks two miles a day with her dog and talks about her feelings on the internet.
Where is Cheryl Burke Now?
Things are finally coming full circle. After years of tension, there’s been a bit of a peace treaty with Dancing With the Stars. In late 2025, she finally got her wish—sorta. She returned as a guest judge for the Season 34 Halloween special.
She isn't back full-time, but the "bitterness" seems to have faded.
Today, she’s leaning into her "Chapter 2." She’s got a loungewear brand, her podcast is huge, and she’s a massive voice for sobriety in Hollywood. She’s not chasing the Mirrorball anymore; she’s chasing peace.
If you’re looking to follow a similar path of reinvention or just want to keep up with her journey, here is what you can do:
- Listen to her podcast: Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans is where she does her most honest work. It’s not just gossip; it’s a deep look at the cost of fame.
- Follow her "Radical Accountability" updates: She often posts about the tools she uses to stay sober and manage body dysmorphia on her social channels.
- Watch her guest spots: She’s likely to appear as a guest judge more often now that the ice has melted with the DWTS producers.