Sharna Burgess Would ‘Always Say Yes’ to DWTS Return After Not Being Asked for Season 32: They’re ‘Family’

Sharna Burgess still holds Dancing with the stars close to her heart.

As the Season 32 cast was announced on Sept. 13, fans likely noticed that Burgess, 38, was not on the list of professional dancers returning to the ballroom. The Australian – who took a temporary leave of absence last year after welcoming her first child with now-fiancé Brian Austin Green – then confirmed on her new iHeartRadio podcast, Elderlythat they didn’t call her back, saying that “it was hard” because she “didn’t expect” that he wouldn’t come back.

Now, Burgess exclusively tells PEOPLE that “there’s no real reason why, other than they were guided in their choices to pick the cast based on the celebrity that they have.” She also believes that “the universe is taking me in a different direction at this time.”

Sharna Burgess admits she was ‘shocked’ not asked back for ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 32

Despite not being cast for the upcoming season, which premieres Tuesday, Burgess says she would be interested in returning in the future.

“I think I love that show, as much as I would go back to it or what it means for the future. And as I said on our podcast, two things can be true,” she says. “I can be deeply saddened by the fact that I can’t be in the ballroom this season, and I can also truly love the show and I want to support it and I want to cheer them on.”

“I grew up on that series, the actors, the crew, they are my family. Dance is a part of me and my soul,” she continues. “I would always say yes to them. And I will support and cheer them on again.”

(L-R) Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess are filmed on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in 2021.

Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty

Burgess also notes that her “heart goes out to them” as they are in a “really awkward situation” right now, referring to previous calls for the season to be delayed due to the writers’ strike then underway, in solidarity with the show’s sole writer. (The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has since reached a new tentative agreement with Hollywood studios to end the strike.)

“I think it’s really difficult. I see both sides, I can see why they want to move forward as a show. There are approximately 500 employees and they all need and want to work. And that they are like family to each other. So you can understand that need to want to move forward,” she explains. “I can also understand the need to stand in solidarity with the WGA and SAG and what’s going on right now. Because to create real change, we have to come together. I couldn’t imagine what it felt like to have to make that choice, to try to make that decision, especially when went ahead, thinking everything was fine.”

‘Dancing with the Stars’: Mauricio Umansky, Jason Mraz and Alyson Hannigan among the actors for the 32nd season

Meanwhile, Burgess shifts his focus to her Elderly podcast, which he co-hosts with Green, 50, and Randy Spelling.

Each week, the trio will share their life experiences and what they’ve learned along the way. Burgess says the podcast ultimately gives them a place to discuss “deep, big and personal topics and lets people know they’re not alone in their problems.”

(LR) Randy Spelling, Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess are featured on the cover for their new iHeartRadio podcast, ‘Old-ish.’

iHeartPodcasts

“Part of wanting to do this was we thought, okay, we talk to so many people on Instagram and sometimes when we share things, I sure share a lot of things. People have no idea that we could ever experience things like this,” she explains of how she experienced difficulties. “They feel seen when they can identify with you. It was a really cool idea to create this open space.”

The professional dancer adds: “Our purpose is not necessarily to give advice and fix things, but to simply say, ‘I see you and I hear you. This is my experience and what helped me’.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

New episodes of iHeartMedia Elderly podcasts arrive weekly wherever podcasts are broadcast.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education