‘Red Table Talk’ Exclusive Preview: Cheryl Burke Admits ‘Love Equaled Abuse’ For Her In Past Relationships
‘DWTS’ pro Cheryl Burke opens up on ‘Red Table Talk’ about why she was drawn to abusive men in past relationships.
Cheryl Burke is coming to the red table. In this EXCLUSIVE preview of the all-new episode of Red Table Talk, the DWTS champion gets candid about her past relationships. Jada Pinkett Smith asks Cheryl if she’s ever confronted why she might have gotten into relationships with abusive men.
“For me, love equaled abuse. Love equaled infidelity. Love equaled manipulating, narcissistic behavior,” Cheryl admits. “I just was not attracted to the nice guy.”
She continues, “I’ll never forget my first competitive dance partner. So sweet. I was so disgusted by how sweet he was. I was only attracted to chauvinistic men.”
Renowned psychologist Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble tells Cheryl that what she’s “gravitating to is what feels familiar.” Jada wonders if most people are looking to have relationships that are fixing trauma. “It feels like home,” Cheryl says.
In a teaser for the episode, Cheryl revealed that she had a first-hand experience with domestic violence as a teenager. “Not to get too graphic, but in high school — I’ll never forget, the person I was with on and off for about four years whipped me with a belt,” she said in the preview. “And I had bruises all over my legs.”
She added, “I remember his parents were watching it, didn’t do anything. And it wasn’t like he was hitting me, he was whipping me.”
During the November 2 episode, the Dancing With the Stars pro reveals the devastating ways past wounds have affected her relationships, opening up about her recent divorce and why her four years of sobriety is “not easy right now.” Cheryl and ex-husband Matthew Lawrence split in January 2022 after nearly 3 years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in September 2022.
Dr. Breland-Noble also reveals the surprising ways our childhood experiences influence our adult relationships. Plus, the episode will introduce two couples who are working to unwind traumatic bonds of their own. The new episode of Red Table Talk will stream on November 2 at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET on Facebook Watch.