DWTS Cheryl Burke Addresses Fan Backlash & Criticism

Former Dancing with the Stars pro-dancer Cheryl Burke looked forward to appearing as a guest judge on the show, but she took a lot of heat for it. So, on Thursday this week, she reacted to the good and the bad, some of which included body-shaming her. Read on for more details.

Addressing Critics

Cheryl worked on the show for dozens of years, but she left in 2020. Later, she felt shunned when she didn’t get an invitation to Len Goodman’s tribute. Still, she appeared as a guest judge in Season 34, and tried her best to offer constructive criticism.

Taking to her Instagram on Thursday, Cheryl Burke posted a reel, and in her caption, she said, “After taking a day to really sit with everything – the feedback from my guest judging, the body-shaming remarks, the kind words, the harsh ones, and everything in between – here’s where I’m at…”

Next, she spoke about her experience, saying, “I don’t normally do this, but I wanted to first say out loud that I am actually proud of myself for being able to really get my point across in just a few seconds.” Additionally, she talked about how she wanted to give the “remaining” dancers good feedback so they can improve.

Moving on, Cheryl told her DWTS fans that while some constructive feedback and even nice messages arrived, she also got some awful comments. For example, she said, “so many aggressive ones and a lot of body-shaming ones.”

Continuing, the Dancing with the Stars pro said, “And for the people who think body shaming is OK, especially in front of your children, that sends a powerful message about what you value. And clearly, it’s not kindness.”

Notably, her scores were not that far off from the other judges, and she reminded folks that she was doing her job. Near the end, Cheryl Burke said, “You don’t have to agree with my critique, but you do have to recognize the influence your words have on the next generation watching you.” Then she told them to leave her “out of” that sort of behavior.

 ABC Fans React

In the comments section, one supportive follower penned, “You did so amazing! You not only critiqued each couple, but you praised them as well and expressed how much you loved their partnership.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion area:

• You should be proud!! I thought you did great. Len would be proud too.
• Loved how you approached giving notes to the couples, and you deserve to feel proud of what you did.

Are you shocked to discover that some people hated Cheryl Burke’s judging to the point where they started body shaming her? Let us know in the comments below, and come back here often for all your Dancing with the Stars news and updates.