Cheryl Burke thinks the judging on DWTS has been 'inconsistent' since Len Goodman's passing: 'It kinda all fell apart'

Think something's off with the judging on Dancing With the Stars lately? Cheryl Burke is with you.

"I don't think it's just this past season. I think the judging has been very inconsistent since, unfortunately, Len Goodman passed away and was no longer a part of the show," she said on a recent episode of her Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast. "Len had authority when he talked because he knew what he was saying. You could see our body language and our expressions whenever it was time for Len to give his critique. He could boo all he wants."

She explained, "When I'm doing this podcast, if I didn't or couldn't back up anything that I say as far as recaps go or any type of constructive criticism, I wouldn't talk about it either. I would be inconsistent, or I would be scared of the negative feedback, or the haters commenting. Or in the judge's case, I would react to the boos because I wouldn't feel confident in what I'm saying, because confidence comes from experience, comes from knowledge."

Each of the judges on the current panel — Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, who've served as judges since the first season, and Derek Hough, who served many years as a pro before graduating to judge — have deep backgrounds in dance. But Len's particular background set him apart in Burke's eyes.

Goodman, who died in 2023, was a professional ballroom dancer, teacher, and adjudicator for years. Being certified as an adjudicator by the National Dance Council America means your expertise in the art form is so wide-ranging and highly regarded that you're granted the ability to judge other professionals in national competitions.

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"It's one thing to have competed like Len," Burke said. "It's also one thing to have taught like Len. It's one thing to have also judged a real ballroom dance competition like Len had for many decades. He's very well respected."

Burke remembers how strongly Goodman's influence could be felt while he was still on the judging panel.

"There was a point where it was just too much to travel for him, because he was also judging Strictly Come Dancing in England.... They would have to catch a red eye after [DWTS] result shows, land in England, and I believe judge that same evening," she said. "Talk about jet lag and just not catching a breath. They did that for like a decade at least, both of them, Bruno and Len. And whenever Len wasn't there...it kinda all fell apart in a weird, odd way."

In a tribute to Goodman a year after his death, Inaba wrote that "Len was a traditionalist and I always tend to love innovation and honest expression of self, and so we agreed to disagree, while always keeping our friendship intact. I wish there was more of that in the world, and that is one of the most beautiful qualities of Len's that I miss the most about him."