Paula Deen apparently decided to pass on professional dancer Cheryl Burke's Dancing with the Stars suggestion.

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While Burke previously mentioned Deen "would be a great addition" to the Dancing with the Stars cast and could make a comeback on the show, Deen isn't interested in competing, Us Weekly reported.

"The dance floor is not the appropriate forum for her," a source close to Deen told Us.

Dancing with the Stars co-host Tom Bergeron said he wishes Deen wouldn't rule out the possibility entirely.

"We've seen career resurgences after the show," Bergeron told the magazine, saying he'd love to see Deen on the show. "People go, 'I remember why I love that person!'"

Deen has found herself in the center of controversy due to a recent acknowledgement that she's used racial slurs in the past.

"I think you'd probably see a different side of her," Burke told ET Canada of the embattled celebrity chef in July. "I think coming on something light and fun would be something good for her."

Dancing with the Stars' seventeenth season will premiere on Monday, September 16 at 8PM ET/PT. Unlike prior seasons, ABC will air only one episode a week on Monday nights that will feature both the rounds of performances and the voting results.

According to Us, the new cast of the show will be announced September 4 on Good Morning America.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.