Early life
Burke is the oldest of nine children born to Donna and George Burke. Her mother is Jewish and she identifies herself as Jewish; She is also of Irish, French, and Portuguese ancestry.
She was born in Hartford, Connecticut and raised in Tucson, Arizona. She attended both Sahuaro High School and Palo Verde High School in Tucson, and later studied broadcast journalism at the University of Lincoln, UK.
Career
Burke worked as a model for Venus Swimwear and Frederick's of Hollywood. From 1999 to 2002, Burke became known while hosting Wild On!, a travel series on the E! Entertainment Television channel, replacing previous host Jules Asner. As part of the series, she traveled the world extensively, profiling many popular travel destinations. Burke first appeared nude during her early modeling career for the website BlueNudes, and most notably after gaining fame in the May 2001 and November 2004 issues of Playboy. She also appeared in men's magazines such as Maxim, Stuff, and FHM. In 2007, she was listed as one of Blender's hottest women of film and TV.
Burke has fronted infomercials promoting a Swiss ball video home fitness workout named Gunnar Peterson's Core Secrets, and appears in the first video of the series titled 20 Minute Full Body Workout. The infomercials have screened in New Zealand and Australia.
In 2005 and 2006, Burke hosted the CBS summer reality show Rock Star, an American Idol-like series in which aspiring singers competed to become either the frontman or frontwoman for a rock band.
She was the voice and face of "Rachel Teller" in Electronic Arts' video game Need for Speed: Underground 2, and asks the "People and Places" questions in the video game Trivial Pursuit Unhinged. Burke starred as a playable character in the Burger King advergaming title PocketBike Racer and in Big Bumpin'. Burke has also landed roles in several television commercials for Discover Card, Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, and M Professional Cosmetics.
In 2007, Burke started a company called Baboosh Baby, which offers wraps for pregnant women. The company's website features a blog from Burke about her children.
In 2009, Burke hosted NBC's pre-show for the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards with Tiki Barber and Nancy O'Dell.
Burke, along with Derek Hough as her partner, won Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars. As of March 2010, Brooke is replacing Samantha Harris as co-host of the program. Burke also starred in the TV show host edition of The Weakest Link. In August 2010, Burke will host the third season of the TV Land series She's Got the Look , a modeling competition show for women over 35.
Personal life
In 2001, Burke married Garth Fisher, a plastic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. They have two daughters together: Neriah Shae (named after one of her best friends, Playmate Neriah Davis) and Sierra Sky. In 2005, Fisher and Burke filed for divorce, and their divorce was finalized in 2006.
On August 21, 2006, she announced that she was engaged to actor/singer David Charvet. They have two children together: a daughter named Heaven Rain (born January 8, 2007) and a son named Shaya Braven (born March 5, 2008). Despite announcing a 2006 engagement, as of 2010 they have not married.
Dancing With the Stars
Burke appeared with Derek Hough on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars. She first danced a Cha-Cha-Cha and a Quickstep and a which received a 23 and a 26/30 from the judges. She came in first place that week. She danced a Paso Doble the following week and received a 24 tying with Warren Sapp for first place that week. The following week she danced a Viennese Waltz and received a 28, receiving the first 10 from Len Goodman of the season. Since Misty May-Treanor withdrew that week, she was automatically safe. The week after, Burke and Hough danced a Samba tying with future third place man Lance Bass for him and Lacey Schwimmer's Tango. The next week introduced four new danced in which she danced the first ever Jitterbug receiving the highest score of the season to date which was a 29. That following week Michael Flatley filled in for Len Goodman dancing a Rumba to "No Air" and a group Hip-Hip routine. She received 8's from Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli but Flatley gave her a 10. For the first time that season, she had been awarded third place from the judges giving first place to Lance Bass who the week before had tied in last place. Burke and Hough danced a Foxtrot the following week receiving the first 30 from the judges plus a group Paso Doble with Maurice Greene and Warren Sapp. The group received a 29 which was added to Burke's score giving her a 59/60 plus the encore for that week. The following week, she danced a Tango and Mambo which she would have to do a 15-second solo. She received a 28 for her first dance and a 27 for the second dance. The following week, she danced a Jive and received a 21, her lowest score and for the first time came in last place for her first dance. Her second dance was a Salsa which received a 28 and tied with Warren Sapp for second place. The following week, she danced a group Samba and received a 28 for her solo. Her second dance was Freestyle which received a 30 from all judges. Her final dance was a repeat of her Viennese Waltz which received a 30. She later won the season and the mirror ball trophy beating Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson.
Starting in Season 10 Brooke Burke will host Dancing with the Stars along side Tom Bergeron.