Cheryl Burke Felt 'DWTS' Departure Was Similar To Divorce From Matthew Lawrence

Cheryl Burke had to relive her worst nightmare, divorce.

The dance pro strutted her last strut on the “Dancing with the Stars” stage on Monday, November 21st.

She announced on Sunday, November 20th, she would be retiring from the reality dance competition show.

The Blast reported on the shocking announcement.

“I am sitting here full of so many conflicting emotions about the words I am about to write…” her sentimental post began. “Tomorrow night will officially be my final dance as a pro dancer on @dancingwiththestars. This has been one of the absolute hardest decisions of my life & I am also confident that it is the right one. This show has been my 2nd family since I was 21 years old. The cast, crew & fans have seen me through my highest highs & some of my lowest lows, & I honestly don’t know who I would be today without them.”

In addition to leaving her ‘DWTS’ family, Burke finalized her divorce from Matthew Lawrence earlier this year.

Burke said her departure from ‘DWTS’ was comparable to her divorce.

“[It’s been] so hard. This is like another type of divorce, but an amicable one,” she admitted to Page Six. “I am overwhelmed. I’ve been trying to hold back the tears, I would say, because I wanted to really perform the best I could. Now with all of that behind me, it’s bittersweet … but I have to just trust my intuition. I do know though that I love to evolve as a human being. I think for me, I’ve done 26 seasons as a professional dancer and I know I’m more than capable to do other things as well.”

In her retirement announcement, Burke noted that she needs to focus on the “uncertainty of what the future holds.”

“I also know that it is time for me to begin the next phase of my career, although dance will always be a part of me. I am excited about the idea of evolving, about being challenged in new ways, having the ability to expand my commitment to mental health advocacy, focusing on my new found love for podcasting, & I’m ready to face the uncertainty (though it’s scary as sh**) of what the future holds - I do have a few things up my sleeves though, so don’t worry 😉,” Burke’s post continued. “I hope that you will tune in to see my farewell dance during tomorrow’s Finale as it is dedicated to all of YOU that have supported me, loved me even if you didn’t know me, & who have been such a huge part of my life, my growth, & my story. I’m honestly not sure how I’m going to get through it without tears but even with the heartache & emotions, I am grateful to have the opportunity to perform this dance & do so with two of my favorite male pros to dance with, @pashapashkov & @louisvanamstel.”

Burke paid her respects and gave thanks to the entire “Dancing with the Stars” production staff.

“Though there aren’t enough words to express my deep gratitude & love to my entire DWTS family I will end with this: thank you for being my rock & foundation for close to two decades during the difficult moments & most of all, thank you for giving ballroom dancing the credit & attention it deserves. You have not only brought joy to millions upon millions of viewers every season, you have brought light & so much love into my heart & soul when I’ve needed it most. This has truly been the experience of a lifetime. I’m looking forward to this next chapter of my career, but man will this one be hard to beat! Until next time…Love you all, always & forever xx 🤍,” she concluded.

Season 31 of the dance show ended with Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas taking home the coveted mirrorball trophy.

However, not everyone was convinced she should’ve won with some saying the show is rigged.