Cheryl Burke headlined Halloween Night on Dancing with the Stars. The two-time Mirrorball Trophy winner, now 41, stepped back into the ballroom on October 28, 2025, as a guest judge for season 34—her first on‑air appearance since leaving as a pro after 26 seasons. “I feel so great to be home again,” Cheryl told the room, adding the rubric she’d use: “Authenticity … Technique … Dance as if this is your last dance.”
Cheryl arrived in a Cleopatra‑inspired look and jumped right into feedback. During Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas’ routine to “Brain Stew,” she said, “Your choreography, Mark, amazing … the best I’ve ever seen.” She also reminded contestants that she’s been in their shoes for nearly two decades, winning in 2006 with Drew Lachey and again the following season with Emmitt Smith.
One week before the episode, she teased her return on TikTok: “I’m beyond excited, I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity,” and noted she had been “on the show for 26 seasons,” starting when many current fans “were not even born.” In a longer caption, she wrote that it had been “3 years since my final dance and official retirement,” and that returning “from the other side of the floor” is something she won’t “take for granted.”
Why Cheryl left—and why she said yes to judging now
Cheryl has been clear about why she stepped away in 2022. “There is wear and tear,” she said at the time, but also that her “heart is telling me to see what else is out there,” calling herself “a work in progress forever.” She added, “Dancing with the Stars … the schedule is so intense,” and she wanted room for new projects. (E! News)
She has since leaned into podcasting and wellness, hosting Sex, Lies and Spray Tans and Burke in the Game, and finalizing her divorce from Matthew Lawrence in 2022. “I do know … this is not the end of my career,” she said, while calling DWTS her “2nd family since I was 21 years old.”
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Scores, reactions, and what fans noticed
Halloween Night brought immediate chatter about Cheryl’s return and her judging philosophy. She prioritized authenticity and technique in quick, specific notes after each dance. She praised Mark Ballas’ “amazing” choreography and urged couples to perform like each routine could be their last. That tone matched the message she delivered when she walked out: be real, be technical, and leave everything on the floor.
Fans also fixated on her changed look. Cheryl addressed speculation earlier this year: “I’m not on Ozempic,” she said, adding she wasn’t “sick,” didn’t get a “face transplant,” and didn’t have a “brow lift.” She’s been open about a wellness reset since retiring.
How Cheryl Burke says she lost weight (and why she stopped obsessing over the scale)
Cheryl discussed her weight and energy this year, framing the change as consistent habits rather than shortcuts. “I feel f—ing great; my energy is on another level,” she said. She described a routine that includes a “morning fruit shake” and a daily matcha from Peet’s Coffee, with balanced meals like oatmeal with fruit, salad, pita with hummus—and, yes, candy and licorice. She said her heaviest weight had been 150 pounds and that the last time she checked, she weighed 109, but emphasized that the number matters less than how she feels. (Coverage about her change has cited a “41 pounds” figure; elsewhere this month, she referenced an estimated “30 to 35 pounds”.)
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Complete Season 34 cast and partner list found in the sources
- Baron Davis — partnered with Britt Stewart.
- Jennifer Affleck — partnered with Jan Ravnik.
- Alix Earle — partnered with Valentin Chmerkovski.
- Dylan Efron — partnered with Daniella Karagach.
- Corey Feldman — partnered with Jenna Johnson.
- Elaine Hendrix — partnered with Alan Bersten.
- Robert Irwin — partnered with Witney Carson.
- Jordan Chiles — partnered with Ezra Sosa.
- Scott Hoying — partnered with Rylee Arnold.
- Whitney Leavitt — partnered with Mark Ballas.
- Hilaria Baldwin — partnered with Gleb Savchenko.
- Andy Richter — partnered with Emma Slater.
- Danielle Fishel — partnered with Pasha Pashkov.
Historical partners referenced during Cheryl’s return included Drew Lachey and Emmitt Smith, with whom she captured back‑to‑back titles, the trophy now renamed the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
What Cheryl Burke’s guest‑judge turn means for DWTS
Cheryl’s presence adds a calibrated “pro’s eye” alongside Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli. Her on‑camera guidance—authenticity, technique, and end‑of‑the‑line commitment—sets a clear bar for Halloween Night and beyond.
The show benefits from someone who has danced on 26 seasons, understands the rehearsal grind, and communicates in concise, actionable notes. That perspective is distinct from nostalgia; it is a current, competitive lens for season 34.
What happened to Cheryl Burke? Where she is now
For those asking “what happened to Cheryl Burke” or searching “Cheryl DWTS,” the answer is that she transitioned from competing to building a broader career. She hosts Sex, Lies and Spray Tans and Burke in the Game, shows up for special nights like Halloween, and continues to talk candidly about health, mindset, and growth. “I’m not on Ozempic,” she said, and “I hate to break it to you, but that Cheryl doesn’t exist anymore,” reflecting on how much she has changed since 2006.
Bottom line: Cheryl Burke returns as a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars for Halloween Night was more than nostalgia. It re‑centered season 34 on authenticity and technique—and reminded viewers why the ballroom has been her home for close to 20 years.
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