AJ McLean Sits Down With Cheryl Burke, Opens Up On Experience With Alcoholism

AJ McLean is "Diving Deep" into details concerning his experience with alcoholism!

The singer burst onto the music scene known as part of the famous 90s pop group the Backstreet Boys, achieving fame at an early age. At the height of his fame, he suffered from drug and alcohol addiction which led him in and out of rehab between 2001 and 2019. Now sober, he opened up to Cheryl Burke on her show about how it affected him. 

The "Dancing With the Stars" pro dancer took to her Instagram story to announce his appearance on her talk show that would be available on her YouTube channel and Facebook. In the clip, Burke stated that she had just finished watching the final edit for the episode that would air the next day. The model said:

"This is going to be such a great episode. It was shot when my hair was really short, so it's been a couple years."

Because of how old the recording was, she clarified a few things that were said. In her words, "some of the stuff that was said, especially about the belief in God, has changed. I do believe in God very much. Um, but this was about a couple of years ago, I would say."

She explained that McLean was one of the first people they shot with and was excited for everyone to see it. The star declared that the episode would help those dealing with addiction mainly. In conclusion, she thanked him and asked her followers to stay glued to her stories to "see a little teaser of what to expect tomorrow."

One unique thing that stands out in her show is that she does not just talk with her guests but also engages in a diamond painting activity. A four-second clip showed the pro dancer talking to the 45-year-old about how he had to cancel a tour. He confirmed by saying, "yeah, when i went to rehab." 

The last video was longer and concentrated on the actor who admitted, "My alcoholism affected everybody in my life." The "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" guest star said that getting sober helped one realize those meant to be in your life and those there because of the alcohol. 

The "Teenage Wildlife" singer disclosed that when he finally stopped drinking for the first time, people instantly left him and jumped ship. He added, "And i was like, ok, well now i know, you answered that question for me. Now I know why you were my friend. It was because you knew I could get you into the clubs and parties."

Burke then chimed in and asked him, "So what made you stop? Like what made you decide like I'm done," as the video ended. 

She is doing a fantastic job as a host, as fans will recall that it was not too long ago when the TV personality announced the project, which aired on January 10. The Blast shared that it came via a video montage of herself as a child till her present age. 

In it, she gave a brief background about her early years and the trauma she experienced from watching her parents get divorced and being sexually abused, amongst others. This led her to over-drink to numb the pain for over a decade.

In another post, she revealed how her obsession with diamond painting helped her through the COVID-19 pandemic and her divorce. She also announced that some of her celebrity friends would appear on the show as "Real Housewife" cast Teddi Mellencamp could be seen in the short clip calling her "the next Oprah."

After experiencing several life-changing experiences last year, the TV star turned to something special she loved to do and decided to share it with an audience. The Blast shared that the "I Can Do It" alum explained how exactly her new project started while preparing to be interviewed on FOX news.

She expressed her excitement about the opportunity and revealed that the bright idea came during the lockdown as she searched for something to keep her occupied.

The entrepreneur then gushed, "the competitive ballroom dancer in me saw that rhinestones were involved, and it was love at first sight," adding that she did it for a while before involving her fitness via Instagram live.

Burke emphasized that the goal was not to finish the process but for the healing involved. She noted that it was vital to be that way because she decided to focus on the present and not the end goal.