NEWSBrooke Burke Reveals Questions She Had After Shocking 'DWTS' Firing: 'Was It My Age?'
Brooke Burke said her abrupt 'Dancing With the Stars' exit left her with a lot of questions.
Sept. 4 2026, Published 1:55 p.m. ET
Brooke Burke revisited the abrupt end of her Dancing With the Stars hosting run, revealing the doubts that followed after producers told her they were moving in another direction.
"Was it me? Nobody that loves you breaks up with you. If they really loved me, was I good enough? What kind of work was I really bringing to the ballroom? Was it my age? Are they looking for a change? Was it culture? Was it ethnicity?" Burke said on the September 3 episode of "The Tamsen Show" podcast. "There's all kinds of things that happen."
She Thought She Was Still Preparing for Another Season
Burke's exit from 'DWTS' was sudden and unexpected.
Burke said the news was especially jarring because preparations for the next season were already underway.
"My contract was up, it was being renegotiated," she said. "But it was happening; my dressing room was being painted. It wasn't, like, we were waiting for a negotiation."
She said that shortly afterward, producers called to tell her they were "making a change" and that she would not be returning.
The sudden shift left Burke trying to understand how a role that appeared secure could disappear so quickly.
Burke Said Motherhood Shaped Her Next Move
Burke's contract was being renegotiated when she was informed she wouldn't be returning to the show.
Burke was also building a house and raising four children when the show let her go, circumstances that influenced how she approached what came next.
"In the best case scenario, I was like, I've been here for eight years, I won Dancing With the Stars, amazing. I had the privilege and the blessing to host the show. Holy s---, what am I going to do?" she recalled.
She said her responsibilities at home were a major factor in deciding what opportunities to pursue.
"My options and my commitment as a mother, I wasn't going to really explore a lot of the opportunities because I wanted to be home first and foremost, my priority was to be a mother," Burke said.
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She Never Received a Clear Explanation
The producers never really gave Burke a clear answer of why she was let go.
When asked if she eventually learned why producers replaced her, Burke said she never received much beyond a general explanation.
"There really wasn't an answer, other than they wanted to make a change," the seasoned TV host said. However, she had nothing but praise for her replacement, Erin Andrews.
"The host they chose was very relevant at the time, maybe press-worthy. She did an absolutely fine job," she said.
Burke Still Cherishes Her 'DWTS' Years
Burke said she had a lot of fun in the show.
Burke first appeared on Dancing With the Stars as a contestant and won the Mirrorball Trophy with Derek Hough during Season 7 in 2008.
She later joined Tom Bergeron as co-host, remaining with the series from seasons 10 through 17 before her 2014 departure. Andrews took over alongside Bergeron and remained with the show through Season 28.
Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding her exit, the Wild On! breakout star said she still looks back fondly on her time with the show.
"It was so much fun. It was a great show to work on," Burke said on Jennie Garth's "I Choose Me" podcast.
