Former pro Cheryl Burke was not on the same page with the judges during the Dancing With the Stars semifinals.
“I would say I gave no 10s, not even close, because no one deserved it,” Burke, 40, said on the Wednesday, November 20, episode of the “Sex, Lies and Spray Tans” podcast. “And I’m not being negative or bitter, this is just how I see it. Having been a part of the show, especially the semifinals, there is something always so special about the semifinals, because people are fighting and giving everything that they have because it’s one of their last dances or they don’t know if it is.”
She continued: “But they’re leaving it all out on the dance floor, and I just didn’t feel that tonight except for Ilona [Maher]. So it was a little underwhelming, to be quite honest.”
Four of the five couples competing in the semifinals — Ilona, 28, and Alan Bersten, Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson, Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold and Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong — all received at least one 10 from the judges. (Danny Amendola and Witney Carson earned 9s from each judge for both of their performances on Tuesday.)
The semifinals ended with a shocking twist when cohost Alfonso Ribeiro announced that all five couples would be advancing to the show’s finale. DWTS followed the same format last season.
Before Riberio, 53, declared the finale news, Burke said on her podcast that she hoped one couple would be sent home. While acknowledging that it’s “heartbreaking,” Burke claimed it “makes for a better competition.”
“I really hope no one gets eliminated, however, I do want it to be a four-couple final at the most because a five-couple final is just too much for me,” Burke said. “I know they did this, I think last season. I kind of got lost. It just became too many couples for me.”
Despite Burke’s criticism, she extended her congratulations to the five finalists. “Everyone truly does deserve to be in that finale. Now let’s start off and start from scratch, because that’s all that matters, is this freestyle round,” Burke said.
As they gear up for the finale, the remaining contestants gushed to Us Weekly about the opportunity and how they’re framing their mindsets.
“Obviously, it’s just going to be a long week,” Jenna, 30, exclusively told Us. “There are longer dances, but I really want, like, our mantra to be joy. I just want this to be a joyful experience, because it’s over so fast and we’ll never get this moment back in time. So, I really want it to be a positive week for us. Although there’s a lot to accomplish, I just want it to be a moment we will never forget.”
While Joey, 29, has his eye on the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, he told Us that he and Jenna are also collaborating to choreograph his and fiancée Kelsey Anderson’s first dance at their wedding.
“It does not take a mirrorball to have that title,” Joey said. “She has that title for everything she’s done.”
The three-hour Dancing With the Stars season finale airs on Tuesday, November 26, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. Episodes can be streamed on Disney+ the next day.
