Cheryl Burke Says She Was the ‘Breadwinner’ in Marriage to Matthew Lawrence

Cheryl Burke took some pointers on love from her marriage to Matthew Lawrence. 

The Dancing with the Stars alum “learned that you can’t buy love,” she told Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes on an episode of their Amy & T.J. podcast.

“I tried to not obviously, I didn’t buy my ex husband, but, like, I definitely would say I was the breadwinner,” she said while reflecting on her marriage and divorce. “Like, I supported us, and I don’t think it’s black and white.”

Burke’s Dancing with the Stars gig kept her in the spotlight throughout her marriage to Lawrence, who is best known for starring in ’90s hits Boy Meets World, Mrs. Doubtfire and Brotherly Love.

Of bringing home fiances, Burke added, “It’s like — it made me feel good, but then it didn’t necessarily make the relationship good.”

Host Robach chimed in to share her own experience in past relationships. “I had a false sense of security,” she said. “But it’s also emasculating, and so it creates an awful dynamic.”

Looking forward, Burke isn’t afraid to be in charge of a household — or in charge of herself. “I just don’t know if I do,” she said while contemplating if she wants someone “who takes care of me.” 

Burke and Lawrence finalized their divorce in 2022. The actor has since gone public with his relationship with TLC’s Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas.

Though Burke is still single, she has an idea of who she’s looking to date next.

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“I want someone who wants to evolve, like, that wants to consistently and wants to, like, work on himself, be able to take accountability when needed,” she said. “Because, like, you can blame all day long, but at the end of the day, you’re stuck with you for the rest of your freaking life. You better like yourself.”

She concluded, “Someone who’s supportive, someone who is not — confident is the wrong word — worth. Burk added that “Confidence is just, I believe, ego, like, comes from, like, the foundation of maybe a little ego.”