Sharna Burgess 2026: Why She Left DWTS and Came Back
Sharna Burgess is back in the Dancing With the Stars ballroom, but her return comes with a story that stretches well beyond the dance floor.
The Australian dancer stepped away from the ABC competition after Season 30 in 2021. At the time, Burgess was building a life with actor Brian Austin Green, and the couple had started talking seriously about having a family. She later became a mother, welcomed a son with Green and expected to eventually return to the show.
That return took much longer than she expected.
Now, in 2026, Burgess is back for Dancing With the Stars Season 35, this time partnered with former Bachelorette star Tyler Cameron. Her comeback has put the spotlight back on her career, family life and the real reasons behind her long absence.
Why Did Sharna Burgess Leave Dancing With the Stars?
The simplest answer is family.
After Season 30, Burgess made the decision to step away from Dancing With the Stars because she wanted to focus on starting a family with Brian Austin Green.
The timing was significant. Burgess and Green had competed together on Season 30 in 2021, becoming the first real-life couple to compete as partners on the American version of the show. They finished the season in 13th place.
The couple welcomed their son, Zane Walker Green, in June 2022. Burgess later explained that she wanted to be present for those early months rather than immediately return to the ballroom.
In a 2023 episode of her Oldish podcast, Burgess said that she had originally expected to return after taking time away. But with Zane only eight weeks old around the time of Season 31, she felt motherhood needed to come first.
That decision turned out to be more complicated than simply taking one season off.
Sharna Burgess Thought She Would Return Sooner
Burgess has been open about the fact that she expected her break from the show to be temporary.
She said she had been hearing reassurance that there would always be a place for her on the DWTS family. But when other professional dancers began receiving their offers for Season 32 and her phone did not ring, she said she was shocked.
“It was such a shock,” Burgess recalled during her podcast conversation, describing the situation as difficult.
That distinction matters.
Burgess did choose to step away after Season 30. But the length of her absence was not entirely her decision.
Her own account suggests that she intended to return after spending time with her newborn son, only to discover that the show’s plans had moved on without her.
The Bobby Bones Factor
Burgess’ history with Dancing With the Stars also includes one of the show’s most talked-about victories.
In 2018, she won Season 27 with radio personality Bobby Bones. Their victory was driven heavily by the show’s fan voting system and generated considerable debate among viewers and critics.
Burgess later said that the aftermath of that win was difficult for her. She described the reaction surrounding the victory as an unpleasant period and connected it to what she described as a rocky stretch in her relationship with the show.
Still, the result remains an important part of her DWTS résumé.
Burgess has won the Mirrorball Trophy once, with Bones, and has also reached the finals multiple times during her professional career.
Her Season 30 Partnership With Brian Austin Green
For fans searching for Sharna Burgess and Brian Austin Green, their DWTS partnership is an important part of the story.
The pair were already romantically involved when they entered Season 30. Instead of keeping their relationship separate from the competition, their romance became a major part of the show’s coverage.
Burgess later said she was uncomfortable with how much attention was being placed on their relationship rather than their dancing.
She recalled telling someone connected with the show that the storyline was not what she and Green had signed up for. According to Burgess, they were eliminated shortly afterward.
Their early elimination did not end the relationship.
The couple went on to welcome Zane in 2022 and became engaged in September 2023.
Sharna Burgess and Megan Fox
Another reason Burgess’ personal life attracts attention is her connection to Megan Fox.
Brian Austin Green was previously married to Fox, and the former couple share three sons: Noah, Bodhi and Journey. Green also has an older son, Kassius, from his relationship with Vanessa Marcil.
Burgess has become part of that blended family and has spoken publicly about her relationship with Green’s children.
In 2024, when Fox announced her pregnancy with Machine Gun Kelly, Burgess publicly sent congratulations to Fox, calling her “Mama” and expressing excitement about the new baby.
More recently, Burgess has talked about Green’s older children as her “bonus babies.” She has described the blended family as an important part of her life and has discussed the children’s interests and personalities.
The family dynamic has become a recurring part of Burgess’ public story, but her relationship with Green’s children is separate from the reason she originally left DWTS: she stepped away primarily to focus on starting her own family.
How Many Kids Does Sharna Burgess Have?
Sharna Burgess and Brian Austin Green share one child together, their son Zane.
Green has four other children from previous relationships, including three sons with Megan Fox and his oldest son, Kassius, with Vanessa Marcil. That makes Burgess part of a large blended family.
In 2026, Burgess has also spoken about the possibility of having another child with Green.
During an appearance on the Between Us Moms podcast, she discussed their hopes of expanding the family and said she would be happy to have another baby.
So when people search for Sharna Burgess kids or Sharna Burgess baby, the central answer is Zane, while her role in Green’s larger blended family is also a significant part of her life.
How Old Is Sharna Burgess?
Sharna Burgess was born June 21, 1985, in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.
That makes her 41 years old in 2026.
She began training in dance at a young age and eventually built an international career before becoming one of the familiar professional faces of the American Dancing With the Stars franchise.
Her television career with DWTS began in 2011 when she joined the troupe. She became a professional dancer during Season 16 in 2013.
What Is Sharna Burgess’ Net Worth?
Searches for Sharna Burgess net worth are common, but there is no widely established official figure that Burgess herself has publicly confirmed.
Celebrity-net-worth estimates found online vary, and those figures should be treated as estimates rather than verified financial records.
Her income has come from several areas over the years, including professional dancing, choreography, television appearances and judging work. She has also worked on the Australian version of Dancing With the Stars.
For that reason, attaching a precise dollar amount to her net worth without a documented financial source would be misleading.
Did Sharna Burgess Have Nose Surgery?
There has also been online speculation about Sharna Burgess nose surgery.
However, there is no reliable public confirmation establishing that Burgess underwent cosmetic nose surgery. Changes in photographs over time can result from makeup, lighting, camera angles, styling, aging or normal changes in appearance.
Without a direct statement from Burgess or credible reporting based on confirmed information, claims about a specific cosmetic procedure remain speculation.
Sharna Burgess Is Back on DWTS in 2026
The biggest development for Sharna Burgess 2026 is her return to the ballroom.
After five years away, Burgess joined the Season 35 professional lineup and was paired with Tyler Cameron.
The new partnership immediately created interest because Cameron is an athlete with a competitive background, while Burgess is known for a demanding coaching style.
Burgess described herself as a “drill sergeant” and compared her approach to that of a football coach. Cameron’s athletic mentality, she said, made the partnership feel like a natural fit.
Cameron has also praised Burgess as a dream partner as he learns ballroom dancing.
The Season 35 premiere began September 15, 2026, with the new season airing on ABC and streaming through Disney+, with Hulu availability following the broadcasts.
Why Her Comeback Matters
Burgess’ return is more than another familiar professional dancer rejoining a television competition.
Her DWTS journey has included a championship, unexpected departures, a highly publicized relationship with one of her celebrity partners, motherhood and a longer-than-expected break from the show.
This time, she returns with a different chapter of her life already established.
She is engaged to Green. They share a young son. She has remained connected to the DWTS world even while away from the ballroom. And after years of wondering whether she would get another chance, she is finally back on the floor.
Burgess told Entertainment Weekly in September 2026 that being back felt like she had never really left and described the show as home.
For longtime DWTS viewers, that may be the most interesting part of the comeback.
Sharna Burgess did not simply disappear from the show. She stepped away at a major turning point in her personal life, expected to return, faced an unexpectedly long wait and eventually got another opportunity.
Now she’s dancing again.
And this time, the story isn’t about why she left.
It’s about what happens after she came home.