Cheryl Burke is cautioning celebrities not to join ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” if they’re already romantically spoken for.
On the May 31 episode of her “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans” podcast, Burke, a professional dancer, said she thinks celebs should “be single” while starring on the show.
“Be single if you do ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ That’s all I’m saying,” Burke warned.
After her guest, People senior editor Dave Quinn, asked her why she thinks so many partnerships between pro dancers and celebrities turn romantic, Burke likened the dynamic between the show’s dance couples to “an arranged marriage.”
“It is black and white. You either love each other or hate each other, for real,” she explained.
Burke went on to share that the combination of the show’s intense rehearsal schedule and the fact that celebrity contestants need to be “vulnerable” with the dance pros often leads to relationships arising.
“It’s so intimate, and you’re stuck with this person, like ― you better try and make it work at least,” she said. “You get close in so many ways.”
“These celebrities are so vulnerable, because in order to succeed, you have to strip it all down,” she added. “And that alone? I bet you most of these married celebrities have never even done that with their wives.”
The former model was a dancer on “Dancing with the Stars” for 26 seasons until she left the show in 2022.