‘Dancing With the Stars’: Cheryl Burke Tests Positive for COVID-19; What This Means for the Rest of Season 30
Professional ballroom dancer Cheryl Burke and Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby are paired together in season 30 of Dancing With the Stars. On Sept. 26, Burke shared some devastating news on social media that could change the trajectory of the season. After testing positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), Burke discussed Rigsby and the competition. Find out what Burke’s positive coronavirus test could mean for Rigsby and the rest of the Dancing With the Stars cast competing in season 30.
Cheryl Burke and Cody Rigsby sit in the middle of the ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 30 leaderboard
During the Dancing With the Stars Season 30 premiere on Sept. 20, fans learned Burke would be competing with the 34-year-old Peloton star. The couple scored a 24 out of 40 for their week 1 salsa.
Currently, JoJo Siwa and her partner Jenna Johnson sit atop the leaderboard with 29 points. The rest of the DWTS week 1 scores are as follows:
- Amanda Kloots and Alan Bersten: 28
- Suni Lee and Sasha Farber: 28
- Melanie C. and Gleb Savchenko: 27
- Melora Hardin and Artem Chigvintsev: 26
- Kenya Moore and Brandon Armstrong: 26
- Christine Chiu and Pasha Pashkov: 25
- Matt James and Lindsay Arnold: 25
- Olivia Jade and Val Chmerkovskiy: 25
- The Miz & Witney Carson: 24
- Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess: 24
- Jimmie Allen and Emma Slater: 22
- Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach: 21
- Martin Kove and Britt Stewart: 13
Cheryl Burke tests positive for the coronavirus a day before week 2 performance
On Sunday, Sept. 26, Burke shared an emotional video to her Instagram Stories. “Kinda lost for words,” the DWTS pro started, driving to get a coronavirus test. “I do feel run down a little bit and really sad because I don’t want to let Cody down. I’m fully vaccinated. And I could still have gotten COVID.”
Burke’s video cuts off to go get tested, but she returns later with an update. “I have really bad news,” Burke continues. Her test came back positive. “I feel like I’m letting [Cody] down.”
With the live show set for Sept. 27, Burke says she’s overwhelmed in the video. “I just hope I didn’t spread it,” Burke concludes, adding: “To those of you who don’t think COVID is a real thing, it’s f****** real.”
Burke has to quarantine for 10 days, which means she won’t be dancing in the Sept. 27 episode. It’s unclear how Burke contracted the coronavirus, given the protocols ABC has around the show. As Sharna Burgess explained to fans on social media, the coronavirus protocols are “even more strict than last year.”
Will Cody Rigsby continue competing on ‘Dancing With the Stars’?
At this time, ABC has not announced how Burke’s diagnosis will affect the remainder of season 30. Since Burke has to quarantine for 10 days, Rigsby could be paired with another pro dancer under Burke is healthy again. But that depends on his health status — which has not been confirmed.
Given the proximity Rigsby and Burke practice together, he is at risk of having contracted the virus, too. According to her Instagram Stories, Burke also filmed an episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune over the weekend with Mike “The Miz” Mizanan.
Having been around Burke, Mizanan could have contracted the virus as well. Again, it’s unclear what Burke’s diagnosis means for the cast of DWTS. ABC will answer all of those questions in the week 2 episode.
Tune in to Dancing With the Stars at 8 p.m. EST Sept. 27 on ABC to see how the rest of the season plays out.
