Cheryl Burke Dealt With 'Self-Hate' and Body Dysmorphia When 'DWTS' Viewers Criticized Her Weight

Cheryl Burke is reflecting on the "self-hate" and body image struggles she endured while on Dancing With the Stars.

On the Tuesday, April 16, episode of T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach's podcast, "Amy and T.J.," the performer hinted that returning to the competition may not be the best idea for her mental or physical health.

"As far as wearing one of the outfits, I would probably get on some, I don't know, some sort of strict diet," the choreographer, 39, admitted of how she would prepare to wear the show's tiny costumes.

"But that's my body dysmorphia that I'll forever have... I'm very open with that," she added.

The brunette beauty explained her body was still changing when she first joined the show in 2006 since she was just 21 years old at the time.

"I went through this horrific like, ‘She's too fat for TV too,’” she recalled of what people were saying. "I was growing into who I am as a woman as well. And with that, I did gain weight.”

"I mean, you know, I did gain a few pounds during the hiatus. Yes, I mean, naturally right like we do," she spilled. "But I am curvy in comparison to a lot of the other professional women."

Burke noted that "nowadays no one would ever say anything. Times have changed."

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She also clarified that producers never asked her to be a certain size, but her "self-hate" prompted her to lose weight.

"I'm not gonna say I'm fully recovered, but I'm definitely healing," the dancer said of her struggle. "That's gonna be a forever process."

Burke was on the series from Season 2 to Season 19 and then took a short hiatus before returning to compete on seven more seasons, though those weren't all consecutive.

Burke has remained an open book when it comes to her past, which included alcohol abuse and experiencing sexual abuse as a child. The star called herself "a trauma survivor," but despite any obstacles she faces, she's confident she can make it through.

"I'm 5 years sober. I'm recently divorced. I retired from my career last year. I feel like in many ways I'm starting over," she expressed in a 2023 Instagram post, referring to her messy split from Matthew Lawrence.

"While letting go of the past is helpful, new beginnings scare me and are often overwhelming," Burke confessed. "I try to stay grateful, but sometimes I get stuck in fear. I know life will sort itself out, it always does."