Cheryl Burke Reveals the Real Reason She's Not on 'DWTS'

We first met Cheryl Burke in Season 2 of Dancing With the Stars, when she and Drew Lachey took home first place. The professional dancer returned the following year and won the competition with her partner, former NFL player Emmitt Smith.

Since then, Cheryl has competed in more than 20 seasons of DWTS, including Season 30, which kicked off on Sept. 20, 2021. But recent reports suggest that she is taking an unexpected leave of absence from the show. So, what happened to Cheryl Burke on DWTS?

On Sunday, Sept. 27, Cheryl took to Instagram to give a shocking health update. In a candid video, Cheryl revealed she had tested positive for COVID-19 and would be stuck in quarantine for at least 10 days. She told her followers, "The PCR test came back, and it came back positive."

The DWTS star expressed her disbelief and encouraged fans to take the virus seriously. "I figured I should let you guys know since I've been as open and as real and vulnerable as I could be here. I just hope I didn't spread it. For those of you who don't think COVID is a real thing, it's f------ real, dude.”

News of Cheryl’s illness comes only a day before the first elimination, which airs on Sept. 27. The dancer said she was devastated by her diagnosis and equally concerned about disappointing her partner. “I feel like I'm letting him down. I just feel like s--t, to be quite honest. And it's so overwhelming because it's Sunday, and the show's tomorrow," Cheryl explained.

The day after her announcement, Cheryl offered fans a health update. Although she is grateful for the support from her fans and fellow contestants alike, Cheryl didn’t confirm whether she and her partner are still in the running. But who is Cheryl Burke dancing with on DWTS? Meet Cody Rigsby.

Cheryl Burke is partnered with Peleton instructor Cody Rigsby on DWTS. The professional athlete has more than 900,000 followers on Instagram, whom he affectionately refers to as the Boo Crew.

According to Cody, who has shared the stage with artists like Katy Perry and Pitbull, working with Cheryl was a humbling experience. He told Parade, “But I’m one that loves a challenge. I love to get uncomfortable because that means we’re moving in the right direction. We’re moving into our best selves. I’m going to put in the work.”

Ahead of the Sept. 27 episode of DWTS, Cheryl teased that viewers can still vote for the duo, which leads fans to believe that they may still have a chance to take home the grand prize.

Dancing With the Stars airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.