Cheryl Burke apologises for ‘nasty’ comments about DWTS partner Ian Ziering

Cheryl Burke has apologised to her former Dancing With The Stars partner Ian Ziering over “nasty” comments she made about him.

In 2016, the professional dancer shared her feelings about working with Ziering during an appearance on the Allegedly with Theo Von and Matthew Cole Weiss podcast, where she told the hosts that the Sharknado star was her “least favourite” partner and that she had even gone as far as to ask the show’s producers if they would kick them off. 

At the time, Burke also mocked the pronunciation of Ziering’s name and said that working with him in 2007, during which time they made it to fourth place, made her “want to slit [her] wrists,” according to People.

On Sunday, the 36-year-old addressed her past comments during an episode of her Pretty Messed Up podcast, where she revealed that they are the one thing she “truly regrets”.

“The one thing I truly regret and want to make amends with is Ian Ziering,” she said. “I was completely out of line a few years ago, and I did a podcast where they were asking me who my favourite partner was and who did I hate the most. And I answered Ian Ziering, and I said something along the lines of ‘I’d rather slit my wrists than dance with Ian Ziering again.’”

Burke then acknowledged how hurtful her comments may have been to her former partner and his family, before explaining that she wanted to say she was sorry.

“I truly am so sorry for being so inconsiderate and just talking trying to get a reaction and putting him as my punching bag really,” she said, adding that she “took it to that next level of just nastiness and I was so nasty”.

The dancer continued: “I’m here to publicly apologise to Ian and his family.”

According to Burke, she also “lost a lot of respect for [herself]” after she made the comments, telling her co-host AJ McLean: “It haunts me to this day.”

The apology comes after Burke previously shared her regret over her choice of words, which she said “seemingly make light of suicide,” in 2016.

At the time, the DWTS star tweeted: “I’ve always lived by the rule that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Recently and regrettably, I broke that rule. In the heat of an interview conversation, I used a phrase that seemingly makes light of suicide and I deeply regret it.”

Burke then went on to say that she has “many friends and family members” who struggle with depression and that she wanted to apologise for making a comment mocking what they may have gone through.

“To have said something that seemingly makes a mockery of what they’ve gone through and what they live with is something that I apologise for,” she said. “I never meant to hurt anyone or to trivialize the topic. I was out of line and for that I apologise.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.