Dancing With the Stars paid tribute to the late ballroom star Len Goodman, who was previously the show’s head judge before retiring in 2016, with a moving waltz that featured a number of professionals and stars of the show, both past and present.
The routine was also paired with a number of heartwrenching spoken tributes from the show’s professionals and Len’s fellow judges over the years.
There was hardly a dry eye in the studio as the dancers held their final pose, with judge Bruno Tonioli sobbing behind the judges’ table.
However, not all fans felt the immense sadness as some were enraged that not all of the show’s original dancers had been allowed to take part.
One such missing star was Cheryl Burke, who had waltzed across the dance floor for 26 seasons and earned the title of first female professional to win the Mirrorball trophy.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/IK2itAsB-8Y?si=vWv4qQ7MsvOBRFYz
Ahead of Tuesday’s show, the 39-year-old revealed on Threads that she hadn’t been invited to join the tribute but would be “there in spirit”.
Cheryl’s fans, however, didn’t take the snub so lightly.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, one viewer lashed out: “You can not have a Len Goodman tribute without having Cheryl Burke be included. She’s the most iconic female professional dancer/OG of #DWTS.”
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Another slammed her absence as “disrespectful” to fans, Cheryl and Len himself.
Others duly pointed out that there may be some bad blood or awkwardness between her and the DWTS cast and crew as, since leaving the show in November, her podcast, Sex, Lies and Spray Tans, has sought to expose countless claims against the ABC show and a number of its past and present stars.
As the writeup for the podcast says: “She knows all the secrets, the behind-the-scenes arguments and the affairs, the flings, the flirting and the fighting.
“It’s time to tell all.”
Len tragically died just six months ago at the age of 78, sparking an outpouring of tributes and memories both from his longtime colleagues and friends on Dancing With the Stars and across the Atlantic on the UK’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays on ABC and Disney+, and is available to stream the next day on Hulu.
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