Cheryl Burke isn't afraid of confronting negative chatter.
After the Dancing with the Stars alum received some backlash for her recent comments directed at the reality series, she took some time to clear the air.
"I will always be Dancing with the Stars' number one fan, that's never gonna go away," Cheryl explained on the April 29 episode of her podcast Sex, Lies and Spray Tans. "The last thing that I want to do, or want to come across as, is someone who isn't grateful for her experience on Dancing with the Stars, and I am, as you guys know, beyond grateful."
Still, Cheryl—who participated on 26 seasons of the reality competition series— took note of the negative noise from her recent interview with Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes.
"It still affects me," she admitted. "To say that I don't look at the comments would be a lie, and to say that I don't focus on that one negative comment would also be a lie. It was a really tough interview."
At the end of the day, Cheryl was just trying to be honest.
"As far as what I say about the show, regardless, I try to always stick to how I feel," she added. "I'm just stating facts."
Cheryl raised eyebrows during her April 16 appearance on the Amy and T.J. podcast where the 39-year-old—who departed from DWTS in 2022—didn't hold back when it came to discussing romances with celebrity guests, the failed negotiations for a new role on the show that led to her exit and her reaction to not being invited to the Len Goodman tribute on the most recent season.
"I would assume some people might not be happy with my podcast," she posited on her lack of invitation, before adding that she doesn't believe what she's discussed about DWTS on Sex, Lies and Spray Tans is controversial. "I don't think it's the content—this show is something that is a special experience that you go through these different emotions and I think it's important that we talk, and I think it's entertaining for fans."
And despite where she and ABC stand in terms of their relationship, the former Dance Moms coach emphasized that she doesn't think it could get any worse, and she is focusing on putting herself first now.
"I just felt like in order for me to gain respect and love for myself I have to believe in me," she said of her exit from the series. "If they're not gonna believe, then I have to believe."
E! News has reached out to ABC for comment but has not heard back.
Read on for more of Cheryl's honest takes.