Getty Cheryl Burke
“Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Cheryl Burke is hitting back at what she calls “false headlines” after a recent episode of her “Burke In the Game” podcast.
Burke uploaded a podcast episode on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 where she was joined by former “Dancing With the Stars” host Tom Bergeron. In the podcast, they talked about him leaving the show and being replaced by Tyra Banks.
The professional dancer later clarified some comments she made.
Burke Says She Did Not Say Banks Felt Pressure
In the Instagram Stories, Burke shares a headline from The Sun about her podcast that reads, “DWTS pro hints at former host Tom Bergeron’s return to show after ‘newcomer’ Tyra Banks felt ‘pressure’ joining series.”
The article was published after Burke was on an episode of “Allison Interviews,” however, and was last updated on August 9, meaning the comments did not come from her recent interview with Bergeron.
“Let me be clear here,” Burke shared. “This was definitely taken out of context. I don’t want any issues.”
She said that she “would never, ever, say Tyra felt pressure.”
“All I said on this podcast that has created a bunch of false information, news, and headlines, is that I can’t even imagine the pressure she may have felt coming into a well-oiled machine like ‘Dancing With the Stars,'” she said in the video.
She adds, “Please stop starting drama that’s not necessary. It is not true. I think Tyra’s doing a great job. I love Tom… it doesn’t mean anything but that.”
During the interview on “Allison Interviews,”, Burke did share her appreciation for Banks.
“Well, first of all, Tyra is Tyra Banks, right? She’s someone I watched when I was a little girl,” Burke shared. “And, she brings glamor to the show. She really does, and you know, at the same time, she came in at a challenging time. She came in during COVID.”
She said that it was difficult because dancers are generally more physical people, and they couldn’t touch anyone because of COVID restrictions.
“I think with Tyra, she came in right at the height of it, so we didn’t have an audience, it was just Tyra. She had a lot of pressure being part of a well-oiled machine here on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’” Burke added. “Now, I love her grand entrances. I love to see what she wears. And I love to see her love starting to grow for the show.”
The dancer also shared that she believes everyone on the show has a different experience, though she loves seeing the show evolve.
“Whether or not it ever happens that Tom Bergeron comes back,” Burke said, adding, “It’s nice to know that the show’s foundation is still there, but it’s nice to throw in some newbies.”
Burke Previously Said She Was ‘Grateful’ She Was Cheated On
Sitting down with “Allison Interviews,” Burke talked about how she got her role on “Dancing With the Stars.” At the time of the first season, Burke was new on the professional dance circuit, and she competed in a competition in Los Angeles. There, producers spotted her and decided they wanted her on the show, she revealed.
Burke revealed that she was dating her dance partner, who was nearly double her age, at the time of the interview, and she asked producers if they would interview him as well.
“I, at the time, was also dating my partner,” Burke said. “And, so I was like, ‘if you’re gonna do this, can you also interview my partner?’ And, long story short, he was cheating on me. And if it wasn’t for that, this is why I’m grateful for it, if he would’ve said… no, ‘let’s work on our relationship, no we just started our competition career,’ I would never have said yes to [‘Dancing With the Stars.’]”
She added, “Sometimes, you may not see it at this moment, but sometimes those painful moments can be the best thing for you.”
“Dancing With the Stars” returns on September 19, 2022 at 8 p.m. ET on Disney+.
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DWTS Pro Cheryl Burke Slams ‘False Headlines’ About Her