After stepping in as a guest judge on Dancing With the Stars’ Halloween Night episode, Cheryl Burke is speaking out about the backlash she faced online.
The former DWTS pro dancer didn’t hold back when addressing the wave of harsh and body-shaming comments about her appearance and judging style during the Oct. 28 broadcast.
“I have seen so many mixed reviews, which is totally fine, but what’s not okay is that I’ve also seen so many aggressive ones and a lot of body-shaming ones,” Cheryl said in a video shared on Instagram Oct. 30. “And also, some amazing and beautiful messages and even some constructive criticism, which I am all here for. I know that I did the best that I could with the information that I had and what I saw in real time.”
While the 41-year-old didn’t call out any individuals by name, she reminded DWTS viewers to be aware of the impact their words can have—especially on younger audiences.
“For the people who think body-shaming is okay, especially in front of your children,” she said, “that sends a powerful message about what you value and clearly, it’s not kindness.”
Cheryl Burke, who appeared as a professional dancer on DWTS for 26 seasons, also defended her approach to judging, noting that her scores sometimes differed slightly from the other judges—Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli—by just a single point.
“I was simply again, doing my job as a judge, giving feedback based on almost 20 years of my life,” she explained. “And if my score was different from the other judges, it was by one point.”
Credit: Disney/Christopher Willard
She continued by emphasizing her dedication to the craft. “I have dedicated my whole life towards being a competitor of ballroom dancing. You don’t have to agree with my critique, but you do have to recognize the influence your words have on the next generation watching you,” she said. “If that’s the example you choose to set, then please I beg of you, leave my name out of it.”
Cheryl Burke has previously opened up about her long struggle with body image and the pressure of constantly being in the public eye. “I do suffer from body dysmorphia,” she told Entertainment Tonight in June. “Especially as a dancer in front of mirrors constantly since I was a little girl, and this was even before my Dancing With the Stars career.”
Having denied any use of plastic surgery or GLP-1 weight loss medication, Burke is now prioritizing self-acceptance and health above all else. “Now I have to choose myself, I have to choose to be healthy,” she shared. “And it is something that I put as my number one priority, and maybe this is why I'm not dating—I’m really focusing on me and feeling good, first from within, and then whatever follows, follows.”
