Retired “Dancing With the Stars” pro Cheryl Burke opened up about dating while on the show. The ballroom pro admitted that she fell for three of her partners over the years.
“I’ve had my own showmances, you know. It happened,” Burke said on the April 16 episode of the “Amy and T.J. Podcast.” She said that there were three people in particular that she had flings with, though she confirms it was “lust,” not love.
“I mean, one of them basically professes love to me on Ellen DeGeneres,” she continued, referring to Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. “Like Ellen broke the news. It was like a whole thing. I was like, it was slow that week,” Burke continued, adding that things weren’t “that serious.”
Burke never made any of her showmances official, however.
Here’s what you need to know:
Cheryl Burke Isn’t the Only Pro Who Has Dated or Hooked Up With a DWTS Partner
Showmances have long been a thing on “Dancing With the Stars.” Some are just for television — perhaps to help get votes and make headlines, and some end up being full-blown relationships.
Burke certainly isn’t the only pro to be involved in some showmances. For example, Kym Johnson fell in love with her season 20 partner, “Shark Tank” star, Robert Herjavec. The two ended up getting married and welcoming twins.
Another relationship to come out of “Dancing With the Stars” is Artem Chigvintsev and his season 25 partner, Nikki Bella. After her split from John Cena, Bella reached out to Chigvintsev and the two started dating. They got married in 2022, two years after welcoming their son, Matteo.
Meanwhile, rumored romances have also been abundant. They’ve included Emma Slater and Mauricio Umansky on season 32, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Meryl Davis on season 18, and Jana Kramer and Gleb Savchenko on season 23.
Cheryl Burke Is Single But Says She Would Get Married Again in the Future
Burke married Matthew Lawrence in 2019 but the two split three years later.
“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,” she wrote on Instagram in February 2022.
“I hope you can understand that I will not be commenting any further at this time and am asking for understanding and privacy. Thank you all for all the kind words & support you’ve given me – love you all,” her statement concluded.
And while Burke has said that she’s content being single, she also said that she’s open to the idea of marriage in the future.
“I have always been open to doing new things. And, you know, hey, I’m still looking for love,” she told ET in 2023. “I’m dating myself at the moment. I totally would get married again. I mean, I know we should probably go from like meeting somebody first, not like straight to the altar, but our time is limited on this planet,” she added.
