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ABC has announced an exciting new TV special starring “Dancing With the Stars” judge Derek Hough, his fiancee and former “Dancing With the Stars” troupe member Hayley Erbert, his sister and former “Dancing With the Stars” pro and judge Julianne Hough and many more stars.
Here’s what you need to know:
ABC is Producing a ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ Special Starring Derek Hough & Ryan Seacrest
ABC announced Wednesday, January 11 at the 2023 Television Critics Association winter press tour that they are launching the fifth special in their “singalong” franchise and this one is celebrating a hugely popular show from the 1970s — “Schoolhouse Rock.”
“Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong” will be hosted by “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest and will star over a dozen of today’s biggest singers and dancers, including the Hough siblings and Derek’s fiancee Hayley Erbert.
The ABC press release teases:
ABC is taking viewers to school, inviting friends and family around the county to gather and enjoy classic “Schoolhouse Rock!” hits that are as educational as they are catchy, all in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the beloved series.
Performers include Black Eyed Peas, Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert, Fortune Feimster, Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen, Julianne Hough, Kal Penn, The Muppets, NE-YO, Raven Symoné, Retta, Shaquille O’Neal and Boys & Girls Club of Atlanta, the stars from Disney on Broadway, Charity Dawson, Bonita Hamilton, Kara Lindsay, Michael Maliakel, Mduduzi Madela and Marcus M. Martin and more special guests join in on the lyrical lessons.
The list of performances is as follows:
- Black Eyed Peas – “Three Is A Magic Number”
- Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert – “Figure 8”
- Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen – “I’m Just a Bill”
- Julianne Hough – “Interplanet Janet”
- The Muppets & Fortune Feimster – “Unpack Your Adjectives”
- NE-YO – “Verb: That’s What’s Happening”
- Raven Symoné and Kal Penn – “Interjections”
- Retta – “Ready or Not, Here I Come”
- Shaquille O’Neal and Boys & Girls Club of Atlanta – “Conjunction Junction”
- Stars from Disney’s Broadway and touring productions – “A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing”
This is Derek Hough’s 5th ‘Singalong’ Special
The Disney Family Singalong franchise began in 2020 as part of ABC’s programming during the beginning of the pandemic. The first special aired in April 2020 and the second premiered a month later. The third, which was a holiday-themed singalong, premiered in November 2020.
Hough and Erbert performed for all three singalongs — they did “Be Our Guest” from “Beauty & The Beast” for the first one, they performed “Step in Time” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from “Mary Poppins” for the second, and they performed “Jingle Bells” for the third. Derek’s sister Julianne joined them for the first two specials, then performed on her own for the holiday special.
The first spinoff that was not Disney or holiday related was “The Queen Family Singalong,” celebrating the songs of the band Queen. That special did not feature Hayley or Julianne, but Derek Hough performed “Another One Bites the Dust” with Alexander Jean. That special also featured “Dancing With the Stars” season 30 contestants Jimmie Allen and JoJo Siwa.
Then in March 2022, Derek, Julianne and Hayley all performed for the Houghs’ Oscars special “Step Into… The Movies With Derek and Julianne Hough.” Hayley was featured in the “Moulin Rouge” routine with Derek, which was sung by “Dancing With the Stars” Mirrorball champ and Derek’s partner Amber Riley, plus “Dancing With the Stars” season 31 champ Charli D’Amelio danced with Derek in the “Dirty Dancing” routine. Derek and Julianne also co-host the annual “Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration,” which airs Thanksgiving weekend, and “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade,” which airs on Christmas Day every year.
It is all part of Derek Hough’s overall deal with ABC, which he inked in September 2022. The deal says that Hough will “host and develop specials and entertainment programming for the broadcast network,” according to the ABC press release.
“Coming home to ABC and being given the opportunity to develop projects for them that are as much on brand for them as they are for me makes this even that more exciting for me,” said Hough at the time.
ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke added, “Derek is a creative force not just in the ballroom, but also every room he enters. He has been part of our ABC family for many years; the energy and dedication he brings to every project is palpable. We value his partnership immensely and look forward to the exciting and imaginative projects to come.”
“Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong” premieres Wednesday, February 1 at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific times on ABC.