Delta Burke became famous in the late 1980s for her iconic part as Suzanne Sugarbaker on the hit sitcom “Designing Women.” People were captivated by her sharp wit and undeniable charm, which made her a familiar name. Behind the scenes, though, Burke had a hard time with sadness, weight gain, and the harsh attention of the media.
Burke’s mental health got worse because of all the criticism. He had serious panic attacks and his depression got worse. Despite her problems, she found comfort in her friend and co-star Dixie Carter, who would often comfort her when things were bad.
Because the media kept talking about Burke’s weight gain, she was made fun of and called rude things. In the end, her co-star Annie Potts would say that how the newspaper treated Burke was like “torture.” Burke herself was confused about why she was being picked on. She compared her position to that of Elizabeth Taylor, who was also criticized for being overweight.
Burke kept putting on weight because she turned to food for comfort. She ended up weighing 215 pounds. Her weight problems caused problems with the show’s directors, and in 1991 she was fired from the show.
Burke’s firing had a huge effect on her. She pulled away from the spotlight and felt like the business she had spent her whole life working in had abandoned her. But it was during this hard time that Burke’s husband, Gerald McRaney, was always there for her.
They met on the set of “Designing Women” in 1987, and McRaney fell in love with her right away. On their second date, he asked Burke to marry him, and they did. McRaney has been Burke’s rock throughout their relationship, loving and supporting her no matter what.
Even when Burke was at his worst, McRaney stayed by his side. McRaney was there for her when she was fired from the show and having a hard time with sadness. Burke has told many people that McRaney’s love and acceptance helped her get her life back on track and be happy again.
In the years since she left “Designing Women,” Burke has kept working in the entertainment business, though not as quickly. Some of the TV shows she’s been in are “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings” and “Drop Dead Diva.” Burke has also done work as a writer behind the scenes.
Burke’s friendship with McRaney has stayed strong throughout her journey. The story of how the couple fell in love shows how powerful love and kindness can be. “Mac loves me no matter what,” Burke has said. He loved me when I got big enough to fit in a house.
For his role in “This Is Us,” McRaney got an Emmy in 2017, and he used the honor to pay tribute to Burke.
Burke’s story is one of strength and determination. She has overcome many hurdles and is now stronger and more confident, in large part because her husband, Gerald McRaney, has always loved and supported her.