Heavy/Getty Chris Harrison.
Chris Harrison was in the hot seat – on his own podcast. The former “The Bachelor” host was put in an awkward position when his podcast guest, Cheryl Burke, confronted him about his former role on the ABC dating franchise.
Not only did Burke accuse Harrison of blocking her from a lead role on ‘The Bachelorette,” but she claimed she was told he gossiped about her past as a party girl.
Here’s what you need to know:
Cheryl Burke Claimed Producers Told Her Chris Harrison Didn’t Want Her on ‘The Bachelorette’
In October 2023, Burke was a guest on Harrison’s “The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever.” The “Dancing With the Stars” pro, revealed that years ago, she had been in serious talks to be the lead on “The Bachelorette.”
She then said to Harrison, “I heard you blocked that. Did you not?”
Harrison was stunned. “They put that on me?” he asked. “Yeah, like I have that much power. Like I have the power to decide who the Bachelor, Bachelorette is.”
“I’m not kidding… I think they blamed it on you, absolutely,” Burke replied. “They told me that the reason that I didn’t get to do the ‘Bachelorette’ is because Chris Harrison said you’re a sloppy drunk.”
Harrison called the accusation “so funny.” “You know what’s great and what’s beautiful? They, in public, would never give me that power to decide who the Bachelor, Bachelorette is,” he said.
Burke pursued “The Bachelorette” role as far back as 2012. At the time, she told reporters that she was in talks with ABC for the role. “I did interview with the execs and we’ll see what happens in the future,” she said. “It’s not a firm offer. It hasn’t been an offer but if they offer it to me, I would love to do it.”
At the time she was pursuing “The Bachelorette” lead role, Burke was still drinking. As of this writing, the pro dancer has been sober for nearly six years.
Cheryl Burke Previously Questioned if Chris Harrison Was Behind the Decision Not to Cast Her on ‘The Bachelorette’
GettyChris Harrison.
This isn’t the first time Burke has talked about her dashed dream to be “The Bachelorette.”
In August 2022, she told “The Viall Files” that she was previously in talks for the coveted role on the rose-filled reality show.
“Years ago, I met with the executive of ‘The Bachelorette’ — years ago, like I would say six, seven years ago — and we were in discussion to make me the Bachelorette,” the dancer told host Nick Viall. “It didn’t happen, obviously.”
In March 2023, Burke also confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that she had serious meetings with ABC executives and that she was close to being cast as the lead. “Like, we were about to do this thing,” she said.
The DWTS pro then threw Harrison’s name into the mix. “I don’t know if Chris had the final word,” she said. “But this was like, during those darker days, where… I was a little rowdy maybe. It wasn’t meant to be because obviously it didn’t happen.” She also teased that she is “still looking for love.”
Burke is currently single after divorcing actor Matthew Lawrence in 2022 after three years of marriage. She retired from “Dancing With the Stars” in November 2022.
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