Brooke Burke Reveals Intimate Secret: Her Potential 'Love Affair' with Derek Hough on 'DWTS'
Brooke Burke candidly reveals her feelings towards her 'Dancing With the Stars' partner, Derek Hough, admitting she would have pursued a romantic connection if she wasn't already married Find out more about their dynamic on the hit show
Brooke Burke and Derek Hough ABC/KELSEY McNEAL
During her time on Dancing With the Stars, Brooke Burke developed mixed feelings towards Derek Hough, eventually leading to a deep infatuation.
Speaking on the “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans With Cheryl Burke” podcast, Burke, 52, revealed, "If I had not been married [...] I would have actually hoped for a romantic relationship with him. The level of connection you have with someone's body is unparalleled. As a non-dancer, I have never experienced such a profound bond, comparable only to that of a lover or spouse, as I did with Derek."
Hough, at the age of 38, achieved his inaugural DWTS mirrorball trophy alongside Burke as his partner in the show’s seventh season in 2008. Nevertheless, their on-screen partnership was marked by a series of highs and lows.
At first, the duo experienced difficulties in working harmoniously together, encountering various challenges. However, following their joint therapy sessions, Burke developed strong feelings for Derek.
“Something magical happened,” she recalled on the podcast. “We found faith in each other, at least I did, and we decided to win.”
Brooke Burke and Derek Hough ABC/KELSEY MCNEAL
While the twosome found some common ground, Hough was still “really tough” on Burke in the ballroom.
"I'm fine with tough love," she conveyed. "He didn't express his love for me through routines and supportive words, nor did he shower me with admiration. He was brutally honest."
During that period, Burke was in a marital relationship with her now-ex-husband David Charvet, yet she comprehended why "people develop romantic feelings" on the competition show.
“For a span of three months, you find yourself ensconced within another's embrace," Burke reflected. "It possesses the potential to surpass the intimacy experienced in a bedroom – within the confines of a dance floor, the act of love making becomes elevated when both individuals are seamlessly entwined."
Brooke Burke and Derek Hough from ABC's show, photographed by KELSEY McNEAL.
She expressed, "When you're full of energy, engrossed in the dance, syncing with the rhythm, and there's an unbreakable trust, that's when you're experiencing shared fear, pushing your boundaries. How often do you find yourself in a situation where someone is your sole support?"
Burke's time on DWTS was beneficial for her marriage to Charvet, despite her fantasies. Just months before her appearance on the show, the couple had welcomed their son, Shaya.
On Monday, Burke fondly remembered, "I was tired at night, but David knew how to be there for me. Our family stepped in to help raise each other. David was incredibly supportive, and being a performer himself, he understood the pressure."
Burke and Charvet, who have a daughter named Heaven together, publicly announced their separation in 2018 after being married for seven years. Their divorce was officially concluded in 2020. Prior to her marriage with Charvet, Burke was married to Garth Fisher from 2001 to 2005, and they continue to co-parent their daughters Neriah and Sierra. Currently, Burke is happily engaged to Scott Rigsby, her long-term partner.
On the other hand, Hough recently got married to Hayley Erbert earlier this year.
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Brooke Burke
Derek Hough
