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“Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Cheryl Burke has admitted that during season 31, there was a “flirtation” between her and someone else on the show.
Here’s what we know and who we think it was:
Cheryl Burke Said on Her Podcast She Had ‘A Little Flirtation’ With Someone on the Show
On the December 6 episode of her podcast “Burke in the Game,” Burke welcomed matchmaker and author Patti Stanger as her guest. Over the course of the interview, Burke told Stanger she would be proud of her (Burke) because of how she handled a “flirtation” with someone on season 31 of “Dancing With the Stars.”
“You’d be so proud of me, this season there was a little flirtation going on with — I’m not going to name the name,” teased Burke, but she went on to say that this was definitely her “type” of guy, someone who is “one foot in, one foot out.”
“This was the first flirting, in person at least, happening since my divorce and I am normally attracted to those types of men which are kind of one foot in, one foot out … with this guy, he was like, ‘I can’t wait to take you out,’ blah blah blah, and… crickets,” said Burke.
She then said that she saw him at the finale and she was proud of herself for not pursuing anything.
“I ran into him again at the finale and it was interesting how normally this would be like my fire, this would be like my dosha, which would be go and get him and try and this is the challenge that I love,” said Burke. “And I just let it be. I just said, ‘So be it, you know how to get a hold of me, you know where I am’ and there was just nothing [from him]. Normally I would’ve been so heartbroken because I would’ve made up this crazy reality in my head, but I just let it go and I was really proud of myself.”
So, who do you think it is? We think, based on ages and whether people are single, that the most likely candidates are Wayne Brady and Trevor Donovan. But Burke could have certainly meant someone working behind the scenes, not necessarily a contestant. It was probably not a fellow pro dancer; most of them are married or involved in serious relationships.
Burke Also Said She’s Finally ‘Ready to Date’
Burke filed for divorce from her ex-husband Matthew Lawrence in February 2022; the divorce was finalized in September 2022 except for a sticking point about custody of their dog that is headed to trial in 2023.
Burke said on this most recent podcast episode that she finally feels ready to date — or at least start “sexting” someone.
“I am ready to date. Let’s just cut the BS. I’m need to get out there because I haven’t been on one date since I’ve been separated, divorced, whatever. So I think it’s time. Definitely time to at least sext somebody,” said Burke.
She later said that “a lot has changed” since the last time she saw Stanger — she got divorced, she left “Dancing With the Stars” and she is now sober.
“I am officially divorced, I have officially left a show that I’ve been a part of for 25 seasons. Two big [divorces], a lot of changes happening,” said Burke, “And then also just personally, it’s like I’ve realized that my friendships because of my sobriety as well have changed so much, which was also part of my definition of me.”
Stanger added that when she used to go out with Burke, she “could never keep up with [Burke] and Jenny McCarthy.”
“Dancing With the Stars” returns for season 31 in 2023 on Disney Plus.