'Dancing With the Stars' Makes Decision on Cody Rigsby Show Future After COVID-19 Diagnosis

By Daniel S. Levine

Peleton instructor Cody Rigsby and Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke will be allowed to continue competing in DWTS Season 30 virtually after Burke tested positive for a breakthrough COVID-19 case before Monday's episode. Rigsby, who also tested positive for a breakthrough COVID case, and Burke did not perform on Monday's episode, with producers instead airing rehearsal footage of the dance they planned to perform. Although they weren't there in person, they still earned a good score and moved on to the third week of the season.

"We're going to be doing it from the comfort of our own home," Burke said on Good Morning America Friday. "Look at that, I've turned our living room into a ballroom!" Rigsby added that he is "feeling OK" and is excited to participate in the Britney Spears tribute night on Dancing with the Stars "one way or the other."

Burke announced she tested positive on Sunday, then Rigsby shared the news of his diagnosis on Instagram Thursday. This was the second time in a year he tested positive for the coronavirus he said, adding that he had mild symptoms, including congestion, a cough, and a headache. "But in comparison to when I had COVID earlier this year, it is night and day, so that must be the vaccine and antibodies working-we're super grateful for that," Rigsby said. At the time he posted the video, his future on DWTS was still unknown.

When Burke announced her diagnosis, she said she felt terrible for Rigsby. "I just feel so bad for Cody—I feel like I'm letting him down," she said Sunday. "I just feel like s—, to be quite honest, and it's so overwhelming because it's Sunday, and the show is tomorrow." 

She later told E! News she had no idea how she contracted the virus. "All I know is that we've been traveling back and forth from L.A. to New York," Burke said. "Cody has another job, obviously, he's known as a Peloton instructor. We're just doing what we're trying to do to just be able to rehearse every day for the show."

The next episode of DWTS airs Monday on ABC at 8 p.m. ET. The celebrities will be dancing to songs from Spears' catalog. The first eliminated contestant was The Karate Kid actor Martin Kove, who was paired with pro dancer Britt Stewart.

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