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Why Was Cheryl Burke Not Invited Back For Len Goodman DWTS Tribute? Dancer Shares Theories
Burke’s primary belief is that hosting Sex, Lies & Spray Tans may have put off the showrunners from inviting her to the tribute.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Cheryl Burke was excluded from Dancing with the Stars’ tribute to late dancer and head judge Len Goodman. The dance champion seized the opportunity to share her honest thoughts on why she was not invited to the show’s Most Memorable Year episode that aired in October 2023.
In the tribute episode, several pro dancers gathered to put together an impressive ballroom sequence, paying homage to Goodman and his contributions to ballroom dance. The late judge was battling bone cancer and passed away on April 22, 2023. He was 78. Hence, Burke’s best guess for her exclusion was her association with the iHeartRadio podcast, Sex, Lies & Spray Tans.
Cheryl Burke speculates on DWTS exclusion
The 39-year-old star appeared on the Amy and T.J. Podcast and subtly expressed her disappointment in not making it to the coveted episode of Dancing with the Stars. Cheryl Burke competed in 26 of the 32 seasons of the ABC show. It was expected that she would join the group of pro dancers paying tribute to Len Goodman in October.
Burke’s primary belief was that hosting Sex, Lies & Spray Tans may have put off the showrunners from inviting her to the tribute. "I would assume that some people may not be happy with my podcast that I have here with iHeart," she told hosts Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes in the latest episode. 
Besides, the dancer and model also joked about the controversial title of the podcast which may have contributed to her omission from the DWTS episode. Burke confirmed to her fans that she won’t be attending Len Goodman’s tribute in a Threads post on October 19, 2023.
The two-time DWTS winner stated, “For those of you asking if I’ll be a part of Len Goodman’s tribute next week on DWTS, unfortunately, I wasn’t invited however, I’ll be there in spirit and can’t wait to cheer my former colleagues on! Sending love and light to everyone. #riplen.”
During the podcast, Burke also revealed that she no longer feels like a member of the DWTS family, despite her long association. However, she went on to express her high regard for the show and the life-changing experience she had on the notable platform.
Cheryl Burke paid a personal tribute to Len Goodman
Even though she was not invited, the DWTS alum cooked up an interesting way to honor the late judge. Moments before the episode aired, Burke shared an emotional video reflecting on Mr. Goodman’s vast presence in the sphere and contributions to dance.
She credited the ballroom icon for her success in the profession and wrote, “Thank you for being the face of ballroom dancing and always standing by what was right, no matter what.”
She continued, “You are such a huge part of the reason why Dancing with the Stars is a massive hit as the premise is about teaching celebrities how to ballroom dance, and the word 'ballroom' before the word 'dance' was all because of your many decades worth of knowledge and experience.”
Burke, who is the first female professional to win DWTS, thanked Mr. Goodman for “representing” ballroom dancers and shaping the ballroom community. She marked much of the show’s success as due to his “influence", “passion and love” for the ballroom genre.
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