Photo: Jordan Fisher
Cheryl Burkeis leavingDancing with the Starswith new goals in mind.
The professional dancer, 38, announced her retirement from the show in anInstagram poston Sunday and, following theseason 31 finaleon Monday, expressed that she’s shifting her attention to be a mental health advocate.
Burke competed on the show for 26 seasons and became the first professional dancer to win two consecutive seasons.
Christopher Willard/abc
Before appearing on her last season ofDWTSwithGood Morning Americaweather anchorSam Champion, she used the downtime from the show to launch the podcastBurke in the Game.
On the podcast, she openly talks about mental health with doctors and celebrity friends.
After news of her retirement was made public, sheopened upto PEOPLE about how the show, as well as her sobriety journey, has taken a toll on her own mental health.
“I feel like I really have evolved and have just done a lot of work within myself and to continue to be judged, to continue to worry about my body, to continue to worry about if I look good or not look good in a costume is not where I am at today,” she said.
RELATED VIDEO:DWTS' Cheryl Burke Returns to Wedding Venue to ‘Reflect’ amid Divorce from Matthew Lawrence
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Although she’s been sober for four years, she also expressed that her public divorce from exMatthew Lawrencehas not made the journey easier.
“I didn’t want this,” she said onRed Table Talkearlier this month. “Myparents got divorcedand I would’ve loved to not have, so that wasn’t the plan. I’m not proud of it, for sure. But then there’s also a point where I need to put myself first and my sobriety first.”
source: people.com
