Fil-Am Cheryl Burke returns to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ ballroom

After three years away from the dance floor, Cheryl Burke returns to “Dancing With the Stars,” this time as a guest judge for the show’s Halloween special.

Filipino American television personality Cheryl Burke is waltzing back into familiar territory, but this time, she’s trading her dancing shoes for a judge’s chair. 

The celebrated “Dancing With the Stars” (DWTS) pro made a return to the ballroom as a guest judge for the show’s Halloween episode, marking her first appearance since retiring from professional dancing in 2022.

Burke, who spent 26 seasons on the iconic dance competition, first announced her comeback through an Instagram post.

 

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“The secret’s out! I’ll be joining Dancing with the Stars next week as a guest judge for Halloween Night,” she shared. Reflecting on her nearly two-decade-long journey with the show, Burke added, “It’s been 3 years since my final dance and official retirement, and I still remember that night like it was yesterday. To return now, from the other side of the floor, is something I’ll never take for granted.”

She went on to describe DWTS as her home, saying it was where she discovered her voice “long before I ever used it offstage.” 

Burke also expressed her excitement to reunite with familiar faces and meet the “new generation of dancers and celebrities bringing their stories to life on that iconic floor.”

Joining her on the judging panel were veterans Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and fellow former pro Derek Hough, making it a night filled with both nostalgia and spooky flair.

Though she appeared calm and radiant behind the judges’ table, Burke’s decision to step away from the competition years ago stemmed from the physical and emotional toll of performing. 

In a 2022 interview with E! News, she shared that “there is wear and tear” from years of dancing but also emphasized that her “heart is telling me to see what else is out there.”

Now 41, Burke continues to evolve beyond the dance floor, exploring new passions in podcasting and mental health advocacy.

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