Derek Hough has been a part of the “Dancing With the Stars” franchise for nearly two decades. Of any of the pros, he has seen the show evolve dramatically over the years.
Now, as the beloved competition series received its first Emmy nomination in a decade, the judge reveals his theory on why the show has seen such a huge resurgence in recent years.
Derek Hough on ‘DWTS’ Resurgence
Hough made his first appearance on the reality series as a guest instructor for sister Julianne Hough and then-partner Apollo Anton Ohno during season four. He was asked to join the cast as a professional dancer during the following season and was partnered with ’90s TV star Jennie Garth.
“I don’t think to be, honest with you—I don’t know if the show fully had a style necessarily,” Hough said of the early years during a recent interview with Parade. “It was young. The show was young. I mean, we joined season five and the show was still developing, and there was no — like, now I look at some of the pros who are on it now who [have grown] up watching the show.”
He continued, “They literally were born and they’re like watching ‘Dancing with Stars.’ So there was like this like reference almost. We had no reference. There was just, ‘Oh we’re on TV.’ We don’t know what that means. We were saying things, doing things and no awareness whatsoever. Just raw.”
Throughout his time on the dance floor, Hough was crowned Mirror Ball Champion a record-breaking six times. In 2020, it was announced that he would replace longtime “Dancing With the Stars” judge Len Goodman.
“I think it’s a perfect storm of just like where we are now with like social media. I think it’s that, you know, it’s a perfect formula and combination of this celebrity mixed with this outrageous, you know, dance show, right?” Hough explained. “Where, you know, the production is fun. It’s interesting, but again, at the heart of it, it’s about like learning something different, learning something new.”
Hough also credited social media for expanding the reach of the show.
“The show isn’t just on one day a week; it’s on seven days a week,” he continued. “Because of social media, you’re looking behind the scenes, you’re following them. It is a perfect kind of show that is meeting today’s new social, you know, media platforms.”
Emmy Nomination
“Dancing With the Stars” received its first Emmy nomination in a decade on Wednesday, July 8.
Landing in the Outstanding Reality Competition Program category, the beloved ballroom dance series will face CBS’ “Survivor”, Bravo’s “Top Chef”, Peacock’s “The Traitors,” and MTV’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
The nomination was earned for season 34, which saw conservationist Robert Irwin and partner Witney Carson take home the Mirror Ball trophy in December 2025.
From the show’s premiere in 2005, it earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality Competition Program for 11 consecutive years until 2016. The show has also earned nominations for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program and Outstanding Choreography.
