'DWTS': Cheryl Burke Reveals Season 31 May Be Her Last After Elimination

Cheryl Burke is likely twirling away from the ballroom. 

After 26 seasons of appearing on and wearing the best dancer crown for two consecutive seasons of "Dancing With the Stars," the 38-year-old might be setting her sight on new challenges. She made the revelation during a recent podcast episode after she and her season 31 dance partner, Sam Champion, got booted off the show.

Using her "Burke in the Game" podcast to dish the tea on her likely exit from "DWTS," Burke began by recalling how people have asked if this would be her final season on the dance competition show. In response, she said:

"The answer to that question is likely yes; this is my last season, as a dancer, that is. To have been a part of a show for 26 seasons, it is hard for me [to leave]."

The dance pro noted that her continuous return to the show might have to do with the difficulty of saying "goodbye to a show and to a family" that she has only known in Los Angeles," adding that she moved to the city 21. "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" guest star continued:

"I know a lot of people are saying it's because I want kids, [but] that is not the reason...The reason is because I want to be OK with the uncertainty of what life is about to throw at me. Until I close a chapter, how do I expect another one to open?"

Burke noted that even though her days as one of the best dancers were likely behind her, she did not want to leave the "DWTS" family entirely. To the "I Can Do That" contender, she had "proven" herself enough to land the role of either a correspondent or host."

While clarifying that she was not after anybody's job, the 2005 San Francisco Latin Champion said there is room for an extra judge or host since "it's a two-hour show with no commercial breaks."

Even if she does not get either of those roles, Burke said that she was "grateful regardless" because "it is what it is. Life moves on. There's life after Dancing With the Stars. I do know that."

Burke's shocking announcement comes on the heels of her and Champion — the former "Good Morning America" weather anchor — being unable to receive above the mid-20s score range. According to Cosmopolitan, the pair landed the bottom position in week 4, eventually getting eliminated over Emma Slater and Trevor Donovan.

Earlier this month, The Blast reported that Burke was dealing with the possibility of losing her dog, a female Frenchie named Ysabella. The 2006 PrimeTime Emmy winner for "Outstanding Choreography" opened up about her feelings and her intention to fight for the dog in her podcast.

After disclosing how she learned about her divorce finalization on the opening night of "DWTS," Burke said, "It's still not over because we have to maybe go to trial — well, we are going to go to trial unless [Lawrence] all of the sudden calls it off. That will happen in January. I'm still just really hurt by the whole situation."

The TV host, who was married to Matthew Lawrence, could not hide her emotions as she talked about how she "couldn't even imagine" her life without Ysabella. In case you missed it, Burke filed for divorce from her 42-year-old ex-husband in February, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the action.

Although the former couple had no issues splitting their properties, figuring out who would take full custody of Ysabella might require some legal drama. While that is still up in the air, legal docs show that the model secured her fortune thanks to the prenuptial agreement she and Lawrence signed before they walked down the aisle in 2019. 

Per the agreement, Burke would keep all earnings and royalties from her time with "DWTS," alongside any money and residuals she made from "QVC." The same applied to her ex-husband, a former child star, who would keep his residuals and royalties. The ex-couple also agreed to waive paying spousal support to each other.