IS “The Price Is Right” host DREW CAREY looking to sweep his “Dancing with the Stars” partner CHERYL BURKE Burke off her feet – even though she’s already taken?
Gorgeous Cheryl, 29, is reportedly dating “Cougar Town” hunk Josh Hopkins, 43. But Drew still seems to have a special attraction!
“Drew is crushing on Cheryl big-time,” said a source close to the popular game-show host, 55.
“They’ve become fast friends since they started rehearsing for ‘Dancing’ in early March.”
According to the source, Drew wouldn’t mind if their friendship developed into something more.
Unfortunately, while Cheryl cares for Drew, she doesn’t think of him that way.
“Cheryl loves Drew. But, to her, it’s more like a brother-sister relationship,” explained the source. “She’s not romantically interested in him.”
HOWEVER, SHE IS SAID TO BE concerned about him losing too much weight.
“Drew keeps talking about dropping 10 more pounds,” said the source. “Cheryl’s convinced that if he does, he’ll become ‘scary skinny.’”
As The ENQUIRER reported in 2012, once-hefty Drew went through a midlife crisis shortly after turning 50.
The comedian has maintained a nearly 90-pound loss and “developed a brazen new attitude,” said a close source.
He also raised eyebrows in January 2012 when he dumped his longtime fiancee Nicole Jaracz. They’d gotten engaged more than four years earlier – shortly after she graduated from culinary school – and he’d helped to raise her son.
Within days of the split, Drew was spotted with a hot new squeeze, then-31-year-old actress/model Kelley Whilden. But that May-December relationship fizzled out in less than a year.
Drew’s been looking for Ms. Right ever since, said the source, and believes he may have found her in Cheryl.
“Drew thinks he may have a chance with Cheryl because it was widely rumored that she dated (her Season 10 partner, former football player) Chad Ochocinco,” said the source.
Cheryl indeed admitted to a fling with Ochocinco, and he gave her a large platinum and diamond ring that she didn’t keep.
“Drew has tried to impress Cheryl any way he can,” added the source. “He even arranged for her to make a guest appearance on ‘The Price Is Right.’
“But while Cheryl thinks Drew is incredibly sweet, she goes for a more rugged, athletic type of man.”
Still, Cheryl doesn’t want to dash his hopes yet.
The source said: “She doesn’t want to let Drew down until they’re either eliminated or win the Mirror Ball trophy.”
