Cheryl Burke’s Candid Return: Embracing the Ballroom and Her DWTS Legacy

Cheryl Burke is stepping back into the Dancing with the Stars spotlight, this time as a guest judge, after her candid departure from the show in 2022.

Cheryl Burke is set to return to the Dancing with the Stars ballroom as a guest judge on the Oct. 28 episode, joining the panel alongside judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli. After leaving the show three years ago, Burke, now 41, opens up about this poignant comeback, expressing her excitement and gratitude despite her past criticisms.

“It’s gonna be emotional, but I am here in a different way this time,” Burke tells PEOPLE. “I’m here for the couples, and I really hope to be able to give constructive criticism, but also be encouraging. And I know what it takes. I have been there.”

For 17 memorable years, Burke graced the DWTS stage until she chose to step away in 2022. Her departure was a personal choice, yet it wasn’t without its challenges; she fought for a fitting farewell and consequently “lost friendships along the way.”

Following her exit, Burke voiced disappointment when she wasn’t invited back to pay tribute to the late judge Len Goodman during the October 2023 “Most Memorable Year” episode. By April 2024, when asked about her connection to the show’s community, she remarked, “Definitely not.”

“It’s my experience,” says the former podcast host. “Unfortunately, when it comes to headlines, I can’t control that, and we all know that headlines, unfortunately, sometimes focus on negative stuff. But within the context of what I’ve always said, I’ve always gone back to the fact of how grateful I am to have been a part of such a huge, iconic show like Dancing with the Stars.”

Cheryl Burke

Reflecting on DWTS’s legacy, with the show running for over 20 years since its debut in June 2005, Burke acknowledges the timing felt right for her return.

“I’ve been on the show for 26 seasons,” she notes. “No matter what was said or whatever, at the end of the day, it really goes back to the fact that this show has brought so much to my life. It has taught me to have my own voice. I mean, if you would just look at my first audition tape, you would be shocked. I sound so different. It has shaped me into the woman I am today, and I have never denied that. I’ve always expressed my gratitude to the show for that, for sure. And I think with any relationship, you have ups and downs, and that’s just the way life is.”

Cheryl Burke

During her hiatus, Burke hasn’t spoken to the pros or judges, although she exchanged texts with Emma Slater before the current season’s launch. “It’s gonna be a huge reunion for sure,” she anticipates.

“I’m just really excited,” she adds. “Calling it nerves will only bring anxiety, so I’m gonna try and switch that to excitement.”

Catch Dancing with the Stars on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

Reporting based on the original article; quotes reproduced verbatim.