Professional dancer Cheryl Burke is leaving ABCs “Dancing with the Stars” after 26 seasons, saying it has been “the experience of a lifetime.”
Burke, 38, announced her departure in an Instagram post ahead of the season finale on Monday, saying it was “one of the hardest decisions of her life.”
Burke joined the show in 2006, winning her first season with singer Drew Lachey of 98 Degrees. “This show has been my 2nd family since I was 21 years old,” she said.
“Im looking forward to this next chapter of my career, but man will this one be hard to beat,” Burke said. She plans to shift her focus to podcasting and mental health advocacy.
In an interview with Variety, Burke said she hopes to return to “DWTS” as a judge, possibly filling the seat of Len Goodman, who announced his departure days earlier.
