Sam Champion, a multiple Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist, is slated to compete on DWTS alongside dance expert Cheryl Burke. Before entering the reality dance competition, the two had been friends for “almost ten years.” The show, which stars Vinny Guadagnino, Charli D’Amelio, and Teresa Giudice, will launch on Disney+ on Monday, September 19, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
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On DWTS, learn more about Cheryl Burke’s celebrity partner Sam Champion.
Samuel James Champion, sometimes known as Sam Champion, was born in Kentucky in 1961. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the American weather anchor has a net worth of $10 million dollars. He earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Eastern Kentucky University and started his career as an intern at WKYT-TV in Lexington, KY, before joining Eyewitness News in 1988. He was a weekend anchor and news reporter at WPSD-TV in Paducah, KY before joining WABC-TV.
Sam has a combined 25-year career on ABC’s flagship programs WABC-TV and Good Morning America. On The Weather Channel, he formerly co-anchored AMHQ: America’s Morning Headquarters and 23.5 Degrees With Sam Champion. In 2006, he served as a weather anchor for Good Morning America. On ABC7 New York, his official profile reads:
“As Weather Editor, he also established ABC News’ Weather, Climate, and Environment Unit and managed all weather, climate, and environmental coverage and content across all ABC platforms.”
In 2012, Sam was promoted to Managing Editor of the Weather Channel, where he founded and presented AMHQ. The Peabody Award winner for his “Sandy Coverage” and four Emmy winner returns to WABC in 2019 as the weather anchor for Eyewitness News This Morning. Sam volunteers for a number of philanthropic organizations in addition to his television career. On December 21, 2012, he married his long-term companion, Rubem Robierb.
What should viewers anticipate from Sam Champion on DWTS?
The weatherman is now preparing to show off his deadly talents on DWTS with buddy and dancing pro-Cheryl Burke. Despite the fact that he has never danced before, he is certain that his moves will dazzle the judges and the crowd. Sam stated on Good Morning America about becoming a DWTS contestant:
“I’ve never danced in my life, and this is a competition, so I can’t share all of the secrets of the dance movements I’ll bring since I don’t know them.”
Sam is one of 16 DWTS competitors vying for Mirrorball this season, joining Selma Blair, Jason Lewis, Shangela, Jordin Sparks, Charli D’Amelio, Cheryl Ladd, and Wayne Brady. Sam had been feeling “uncomfortable” earlier “talking about himself and his sexuality, but is now content to be a part of the program and “coming to terms with” his actual identity.
In response to whether he would discuss his sexuality on DWTS, he told Us Weekly:
“So, it’s a little bit of a tale about me being a young homosexual child in a very different period in America and in the globe, when it was given to you as shame, and I’m going through a lot of these things where I always felt I liked to dance but I was always frightened to have that talk.”
He declined dancing years ago when Cheryl requested because he wasn’t ready, but the couple has now joined up in the hopes of capturing the DWTS crown.
The next season of DWTS will premiere on Disney+ on September 19.
