Matthew Lawrence is looking back on one of the most difficult chapters of his life and choosing gratitude over regret. In a rare and candid interview, he opened up about his divorce from “Dancing With the Stars” alum Cheryl Burke, explaining why he stayed silent as public narratives swirled and how the split ultimately became a turning point that pushed him toward growth, resilience, and a more positive path forward.
Lawrence Opens Up
Since Lawrence and Burke split in 2022, Cheryl has been very open about discussing things. In an October episode of the “I Do, Part 2” podcast, she admitted she is still grieving her broken marriage.
“To say that I haven’t or still sometimes grieve would be a lie, too. I think it can be both, you know?,” admitting she had to cut off “DWTS” also to work on herself. “I know that I needed to cut off basically both divorces in order for me to be able to see what I see in the mirror and actually like the person I see.”
Since their split, Lawrence has moved on and is dating TLC singer Chilli. He seemed to favor silence post-divorce, but now he is opening up about why he chose that silence.
Lawrence told the Daily Mail, “That’s one of the interesting things about when you choose to be in a career like this is that your private life is public, so you have to live those things out on a public stage. And I don’t think that’s really fun for anybody, you know? Especially when you don’t really have control of the narrative, or if the narrative isn’t even true.”
‘Thankful’ For the Divorce
In May 2019, Lawrence and Burke were married. However, the dancer filed for divorce in February 2022, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized in September 2022.
In another episode of the “I Do, Part 2” podcast, Burke suggested that her career on “Dancing With the Stars” and being the breadwinner in the relationship may have caused tensions. She said, “I believe that there is this gender role where a man may feel a little emasculated when he doesn’t make the majority of the money, and I think that may have taken a toll.”
Lawrence has remained silent regarding the divorce, but he did admit the divorce “tested” him. He went on to say, “I learned so much about myself, and I’m so thankful and blessed for the opportunity to grow, and that’s what came out of it.”
A Second Chance for Lawrence & Chilli
After the separation, Lawrence moved on with Chilli after they met at a ‘90s Con. They were first seen in public together while on vacation in Hawaii in August 2022.
They have kept their relationship out of the public eye, but the couple is now teaming up to host a new reality dating series, “Second Chance Love.”
The show premiered on January 1 on Hallmark+. It follows five couples who reunite in Sardinia, Italy, to see if they still have a spark years after breaking up.
Lawrence and Chilli were excited about the concept of the show, as well as things wouldn’t be focused on their own relationship.
Lawrence told the Daily Mail, “It was about these people and what the mission statement is that it’s kind of, you know, seeing if that person that you constantly thought about from your past is something that maybe could have a future or if it should be left in the past, and we like that Hallmark really wanted to focus on that.”
He added, “It wasn’t about our relationship or doing a reality show about us. That was not going to be cool for us.”
