Cheryl Burke Gets ‘Real’ About Tom Bergeron’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Exit & Her Future On The Show

Dancing with the Stars pro Cheryl Burke didn’t hold back when she was asked to share her feelings about Tom Bergeron getting fired. During an interview with TV Insider, the 36-year-old dancer opened up about the shakeup and dropped a few hints about moving on from competing in the ABC ballroom competition.

Tom and his co-host, Erin Andrews, have been replaced by America’s Next Top Model creator Tyra Banks for the upcoming season, and many DWTS fans have not been shy about voicing their displeasure. In fact, many of them have vowed not to watch Season 29 at all.

Cheryl didn’t sugarcoat her opinions about the switch and explained why it was so difficult for her to accept.

“I’m not going to lie and say, ‘Change is great!’ Let’s be real. This really hurt me,” she stated. “My heart dropped when I heard [Tom was leaving]. And I’m not one to be shocked about anything that happens on this show.”

Cheryl described the longtime host as her “family” and “Dance Dad.” The two began working together during the second season of Dancing with the Stars in 2006, and Cheryl said that her experience competing on the series isn’t going to be the same without him.

“We’d always chat before the show. I’m really going to miss that. My heart still hurts. It’s weird not to hear his voice,” she added.

She also shared that her friend and coworker would never advise her against doing DWTS, and she doesn’t seem interested in leaving anytime soon. In fact, she said that she would love to continue on the reality competition as a judge someday, and she’s pretty certain the network is aware of her ambitions. Cheryl made it clear that she believes she would make a great judge, but she doesn’t just want the gig because she feels like she’s the right woman for the job.

She also brought up her plans to start a family with her husband, Boy Meets World star Matthew Lawrence, when speaking about her pursuit of a seat at the judge’s table.

“I feel like I’ve proven myself. I’m 35 and I want to have a family and have a roof over my head. I hope that the show would think that I’m capable. I do,” the confident performer said.

When Cheryl hangs up her dancing shoes, DWTS viewers may finally get to see Matthew slipping his on. She explained that her husband is an animal lover who has an insane number of pets and caring for them takes up a ton of time, so he has to stay home while she’s filming. However, if she was pregnant and at home, she would be able to keep an eye on their zoo while he competed to win his own mirrorball.