Sharna Burgess is coming home. The longtime "Dancing with the Stars" pro announced on "Good Morning America" that she will return to the ballroom for the show's 35th season, marking her first time competing as a pro since Season 30 back in 2021, a five-year absence from the competition series that made her a household name.

Burgess, 41, won the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 27 and went on to reach the finals four times during her run on the show, cementing her as one of the most successful pros in "DWTS" history before stepping away. Her surprise comeback announcement sent fans into a frenzy on social media, with one commenter writing under the GMA clip, "Finally! The queen is back."

According to reporting from People and other outlets, Burgess said the five-year break went by faster than she expected, but it was becoming a mother that ultimately reshaped her priorities and her sense of timing for a return. When the idea of coming back first came up, she said she simply wasn't ready. This season, that changed.

Sharna Burgess returns for Season 35, her first time back since Season 30 in 2021

She won the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 27 and reached the finals four times as a pro

Motherhood and shifting priorities played a role in the timing of her comeback

Fans reacted with an outpouring of excitement across social media following the GMA announcement

Burgess described the emotional pull of returning to what she called her "dancing family," a phrase that resonated with longtime viewers who watched her build some of the show's most memorable partnerships over more than a decade on air. Her comeback adds another marquee name to a season that ABC has been building buzz around throughout the summer.

The announcement continues a pattern of "Dancing with the Stars" leaning on nostalgia and fan-favorite returns to keep the long-running franchise fresh well into its third decade on air. Burgess's return follows a broader trend across reality competition television, where producers increasingly bring back beloved veterans to draw in both loyal fans and casual viewers curious to see how the dynamic has changed.

Season 35 of "Dancing with the Stars" is expected to premiere on ABC this fall, with further cast announcements, including the celebrity contestants paired with returning pros like Burgess, expected in the coming weeks. For now, fans are simply celebrating the return of one of the show's most beloved dancers to the ballroom floor.