Cheryl Burke Tells Fans to Unfollow If They Miss Her Old 'DWTS' Self
Cheryl Burke Tells Fans to Unfollow If They Miss Her Old 'DWTS' Self
Kayla AldecoaThu, June 4, 2026 at 3:22 AM UTC
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Cheryl Burke Tells Fans to Unfollow If They Miss Her Old 'DWTS' Self
For years, Cheryl Burke has faced comments from fans comparing her current appearance to the version of herself they watched on Dancing With the Stars in the early 2000s. Now, she's setting the record straight.
In a revealing new essay, the former DWTS pro opened up about body image, sobriety and self-acceptance, while delivering a blunt message to those who say they miss the "old" her: unfollow.
"I joined the show in 2006 thinking it was going to be one season and then I'd go back to my life as a competitive dancer. But I won back-to-back seasons, and people started paying attention," Burke recalled in a deeply personal essay published in Glamour. "I was not prepared for what it meant to become tabloid fodder."
She went on to reveal that she "developed body dysmorphia," something she has worked through for years in therapy.
"I was drinking every single night. I was eating Del Taco at midnight to soak up the alcohol," Burke shared. "I was the alcoholic Cheryl back then, the party girl barely surviving some of those live shows. Every photo from that era—the ones where people now say I looked so good—I was basically hungover in. That is the version they are telling me I should return to."
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Now, at 42 years old, the former professional dancer is sober, divorced, and happy with the person in the mirror.
Internet trolls have been especially harsh to Burke in recent years, with many physicians sharing viral videos pointing out changes in her appearance.
"People don't realize what happens when a professional dancer, who has been dancing seven days a week her entire life, stops," Burke continued. "Muscle mass naturally gets lost, and your body changes."
"If you miss the old Cheryl Burke, please unfollow. I'm not her anymore."
This story was originally published by Parade on Jun 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
