For Derek Hough, “Dancing With the Stars” has always been more than sequins and spotlights. The longtime pro turned judge says the show became his lifeline during his darkest moments. It helped him heal through heartbreak, self-doubt, and his wife Hayley Erbert’s health battles.
‘A Safe Place to Call Home’
As “Dancing With the Stars” is set to celebrate its 20th birthday on next week’s show, including the return of Tom Bergeron as a guest judge, Derek and his sister, Julianne Hough, sat down with Us Weekly to talk about their journey and experience on the show.
The siblings joined the reality dance competition back in 2007, with Julianne joining in the spring and Derek joining in the fall. Now, almost 20 years later, the duo can’t help but get emotional when talking about the show.
They have spent much of their adult lives in the “DWTS” ballroom. Julianne danced as a pro for five seasons, winning two Mirrorball Trophies. She then returned as a judge for five seasons before becoming a cohost alongside Alfonso Ribeiro in 2023.
Derek danced as a pro for 17 seasons, winning a record six Mirrorball Trophies. He then joined the judges’ table in 2020.
When talking with Us Weekly, Julianne said, “I feel humbled that I’ve been able to be a part of a show that raised me. It’s always been my safe place to call home.”
‘Dancing With the Stars’ Saved Derek’s Life
While their time on the show has helped them grow as humans, Derek says “Dancing With the Stars” helped him through some of the hardest times of his life.
In December 2023, his wife underwent an emergency craniectomy for a cranial hematoma. She would later receive a skull implant.
Then, in October 2025, the couple, who are expecting their first child together, revealed in an emotional Instagram post that they had previously suffered a miscarriage.
Derek told Us Weekly, “This show literally has saved my life. Without it, I genuinely don’t know where I would be. It’s so much more than rhinestones and glitter and lights.” He later added, “[I don’t know] what would happen if I didn’t have this thing that kept me focused and on track and kept challenging me to be better.”
When asked about the hardest part of the show, Derek said, “It can reveal the ugliest parts of yourself and trigger a lot of fears and insecurities. The ugly parts come out, and you’re like, ‘I have a lot of self-doubt, and people think I have all this confidence, but I don’t, and I feel like a fraud.’ [You’re] revealing parts of yourself in front of millions of people.”
Sibling Rivalry on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
While the show has meant so much to both of them, it has also brought out a bit of sibling rivalry. As Julianne mentioned in last night’s episode, being back out on the dancefloor for the team dances brought out her competitive side.
Since Julianne was on the show first, Derek said, “When she went [on the show], I was like, ‘Oh, OK, now I have to go on.’ And then she won that season.”
Julianne joked that her brother was “coming to my turf now,” after he joined in the fall.
The competitive side comes out when it comes to those Mirrorball Trophies, as Derek said, “We joke around. She’ll say, ‘I won the show twice,’ and I’ll be like, ‘I won six times,’ and she goes, ‘Yeah, but I was only on the show for five seasons.’ She won two out of five, and I won six out of 17, so her ratio is better.”
The “Dancing With the Stars” 20th Birthday Celebration airs on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 8 p.m. on ABC and Disney+.
