Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke doesn’t shy away from sharing vulnerable moments in her personal life. The two-time mirror ball winner, who joined DWTS during Season 2, has been open about her struggle with body dysmorphia.
According to John Hopkins Medicine, body dysmorphia is a mental health disorder that occurs when a person thinks repetitively about a flaw in their appearance. “So when I look at myself in the mirror and someone says, ‘Oh, you look amazing,’ I see someone who is overweight and, in my eyes and in my way of judging myself, not amazing,” Cheryl explained during an episode of the HypochondriActor podcast. “It’s like no matter what I look like.”
Cheryl met actor Matthew Lawrence on the DWTS set. On May 23, 2019, Cheryl and Matthew tied the knot in San Diego.
Unfortunately, the couple decided to split up. On February 18, 2022, Cheryl filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason that their marriage ended.
Cheryl shared the sad news on her Instagram. “I know I have always said that I’m an open book with you guys, I do strive to be, and in writing this I’ve realized there isn’t really an easy way to announce that my marriage is ending,” the dancer wrote.
Cheryl has also been open about her sobriety journey. In September of 2020, Cheryl shared that she had been sober for two years. “It became so that my tolerance was just nothing got me drunk,” she explained. “I was a functioning drunk for sure.”
She continued, “My father passed away — and then my dad was an alcoholic — so either I was gonna crash and burn and check myself into rehab or I was gonna just quit cold turkey.” The dancer added, “That’s just my personality.”
Page Six reported that Cheryl celebrated four years of sobriety on August 14, 2022, and shared the news with a TikTok video. “Realizing I just celebrated four years of sobriety,” Cheryl captioned the video. The clip, set to the song “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish, begins with Cheryl sporting athletic garb, a jacket, and an Adidas hat. In the end, she takes off her outer layer and does a hair flip.
Cheryl’s followers congratulated her on reaching that milestone. One user wrote, “Congratulations! Sober looks amazing on you.” Another fan posted, “Stay the course, Cheryl!” A TikTok user added, “That’s so awesome!!! keep up the great job!!! you rock!”
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During the July 5, 2022, episode of her podcast, Burke In The Game, Cheryl admitted that it wasn’t “easy” to meet new people and that she was “open to definitely starting to date, slowly but surely.”
Cheryl recently hinted about retiring from DWTS during an interview on the podcast, Allison Interviews. “If I do another season of Dancing with the Stars, I just need to do it,” Cheryl explained. “When the time comes, whether this will be my last season or not, I don’t know.” Cheryl’s plans for becoming a mother would certainly impact whether she continues on the show.
Last season was particularly challenging for Cheryl and her partner, Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby. The duo were both diagnosed with Covid-19 and had to train for the competition via Zoom.
I hope that we see Cheryl back in the ballroom for Season 31 of DWTS. Her talent on the dance floor is undeniable, and she is a joy to watch.
TELL US- PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE ANY POSITIVE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR CHERYL.
[Photo Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless]
