Former Dancing with the Stars pro Cheryl Burke is set to return to the show as a guest judge during Tuesday night’s new Season 34 Halloween Night episode. In an interview, Burke predicted that there would be “waterworks” as she returns to the ballroom.
Cheryl Burke Returns to DWTS as Guest Judge
Cheryl Burke was a pro dancer on DWTS for a total of 26 seasons, winning the Mirrorball trophy twice. She left the show after Season 31 in 2022. On Tuesday night, she’ll return as a guest judge alongside regular panelists Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli.
“It’s going to be so special,” Burke told Deadline. “It’s going to be emotional. It’s going to be pure joy. It’s going to be all of the feels, so my makeup artist is going to have a hard job trying to glue on my lashes. There will be waterworks, for sure.”
Burke is the second former pro to appear as a guest judge this season, after Kym Johnson joined the panel on Dedication Night. As Burke told Deadline, “Pros know what they’re talking about because we’ve been there.”
“There’s a technique book for ballroom dancing,” Burke explained. “I took my adjudicators test many years ago, even before I did Dancing with the Stars, and I studied that in a way that’s similar to people studying for the SATs.”
SEE ALSO: CHERYL BURKE RESPONDS TO FANS’ COMMENTS ABOUT APPARENT WEIGHT LOSS
Burke Calls the Show an ‘Emotional Rollercoaster’
After leaving Dancing with the Stars, Cheryl Burke launched a podcast called Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans. The dancer shared her brutally honest opinions about the show and interviewed former cast members. When asked if Burke’s podcast (which has since ended) kept her from being invited back until now, she said, “I don’t know. That’s not a question for me.”
“Like any family, it’s an emotional rollercoaster. But at the end of the day, there is still loyalty,” Burke explained. “I will always love the show. Love is stronger than any type of hate or fear. I was a big part of the show for close to 20 years. I’m there to celebrate those 20 years and how the show is still going strong.”
When asked how much of the show she’s watched since leaving the ballroom, Burke said, “I watch like a crazy person, of course.”
You can catch Burke’s appearance as a guest judge during Tuesday night’s new Halloween-themed episode of Dancing with the Stars, airing live on ABC and Disney+.
