Why Cheryl Burke Is 3-Years Celibate After Matthew Lawrence Divorce
Originally appeared on E! Online
Cheryl Burke isn't dancing around her lifestyle choices.
Nearly three years after the Dancing With the Stars alum separated from her now ex-husband Matthew Lawrence, she shared why not prioritizing romance and sex has been a great decision for her.
"I've definitely built a lot more self-love and self-respect and self-worth," Cheryl told UsWeekly in an interview published Sept. 19. "I was a serial dater, so I never was ever, ever single. The thought of living alone or being alone was just not an option. It was just never going to happen in my world. I love that I've grown so much and that I'm doing it consciously and with an intention."
Meanwhile, those close to her raised an eyebrow at her decision, unsure whether she'd stick to it.
"They're just like, 'What?'" she said. "As if I'm speaking a different language completely. Which is so interesting."
But the 40-year-old—who met the Mrs. Doubtfire actor in 2006 and married in 2019—has focused on herself above everyone else.
More from E! Online
Lizzo Unveils Before-and-After Look at Weight Loss Transformation
Sean "Diddy" Combs' Lawyer Shares Update After Suicide Watch Designation
Hailey Bieber Is Glowing in New Photo After Welcoming Baby Boy With Justin Bieber
"I'm literally dating myself," she told E! News last June. "I know that sounds so cliché, 'OK whatever.' No, but really, I'm not looking, I'm not interested at the moment."
Cheryl—whose divorce from Matthew was finalized in 2022—admitted that she hadn’t been the most discerning when finding love, which she wanted to change.
"I haven't been a great picker," she noted. "But until I change that pattern—I have to really authentically change the pattern or else I'll continue to pick maybe not the good ones for me."
Although her and Matthew’s marriage ended, they made several efforts to avoid the ultimate decision.
"Matt and I, we definitely, we were in couples therapy, even before our marriage," Cheryl explained on Tamron Hall in May 2022. “People evolve and people grow. And sometimes they grow together and sometimes, you know, you unfortunately grow apart."
Even though the couple ultimately split, the dancer doesn’t regret their attempts through couples therapy. As she put it, “I think that really was very helpful for both of us individually—I can only speak for myself and for me."
Keep reading for more of Cheryl’s most candid confessions.
A Tough Break
Cheryl Burke admitted that her 2022 exit from Dancing With the Stars was "hands down" harder than her divorce from Matthew Lawrence, who she split with that same year.
"You can't compare," she shared in an April 2024 episode of Amy & T.J. podcast, explaining that the show was her "identity" at one point. "I credit them for giving me a voice in general."
More Money, More Problems
Reflecting on her three-year marriage with the Boy Meets World actor, Cheryl believes her DWTS salary put a strain on their relationship.
"I learned that you can't buy love," she said on Amy & T.J. "Obviously, I didn't buy my ex-husband, but I definitely would say I was the breadwinner. I supported us."
Dance Like You Mean It
The dancer got candid about being the challenges of not being able to choose a DWTS partner as a pro dancer, sharing that "whoever walks in through that door, you don't turn around and walk out."
"This is showbiz," she told Variety in 2023. "I'm an employee. You can't just turn around and walk out and say I'm sorry. That's not part of the contract. It's a fine line."
Too Hot to Foxtrot
Cheryl set the record straight on rumors that she hooked up with her Dancing With the Stars season eight partner Gilles Marini when they were training together in 2009.
"We had that thing without having that thing," she said in an April 2024 episode of the Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast. "Chemistry."
Though Cheryl admitted that the two were "very close," she said, "Nothing has ever happened physically between us."
Open Book
Amid her divorce, Cheryl had a blunt message for critics who thought she was sharing too much about her personal life on social media.
"Don't waste the time to comment because I do know for a fact that I'm helping at least one person," she said in an E! News interview. "At the end of the day, those people I feel might need to take a note a little bit and really just understand that this is somebody's story."
Going Sober
Cheryl has been open about her sobriety journey, sharing that the 2018 death of her dad was what led her to abstain from alcohol.
"My father passed away—and my dad was an alcoholic—so either I was gonna crash and burn and check myself into rehab, or I was gonna just quit cold turkey," she said in a 2020 episode of the LadyGang podcast. "That's just my personality. It's either black or white."
Getting Vulnerable
And the Dance Moms coach isn't afraid of showing her vulnerable side.
"To say that my sobriety has been easy would be a lie," Cheryl said in a June 2021 YouTube video. "When I keep secrets or don't tell my truth to everyone, including my followers, that's when it gets scary for me."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
