Heavy/Getty Derek Hough
Derek Hough won six mirrorball trophies when he was a pro dancer on “Dancing With the Stars,” but there was definitely one that got away.
In a May 2023 interview on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s “Off the Vine” podcast, the Emmy-winning choreographer admitted that he was “devastated” when he missed out on winning the first “Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars” season more than a decade ago.
Here’s what you need to know:
Derek Hough Admitted He Wanted the Special All-Stars Mirrorball Trophy
GettyDerek Hough and Shawn Johnson pose after DWTS All-Stars.
During his time as a dancer on DWTS, Hough won the competition with partners Brooke Burke, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Grey, Kellie Pickler, Amber Riley, and Bindi Irwin, each time taking home a glitzy mirrorball trophy. But while speaking with Bristowe, Hough revealed that in 2012, the “Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars” trophy had a different look—and he wanted it.
On “Off the Vine,” Hough admitted that while he’s a little afraid of failure, he has learned throughout his career that the moments that he “did fail or I came up short, they’re always followed by something fantastic and great.” “I almost look at those moments of like ‘okay,’ and part of that is because it lights a fuel, like a hunger,” he said.
“About the failure part, my season was Shawn Johnson, the All-Star season and it was so it’s so stupid, but like the trophy looked different and I’ll never forget like I was, ‘I want that one!’” he told Bristowe. “It was so stupid, but we came in second and I remember being devastated by that.”
Hough added that he felt responsible because he felt like he “messed it up” and “let her down.” “But then that season basically lit a fire, and I won the next two seasons in a row,” he added.
Hough also revealed that he ran into Johnson in Nashville recently and that they joked about how they should have won the All-Stars season.
“We were just joking. We’re like ‘Man we should have won the All-Star season… man like we’re not bitter at all,” he said. “And she sent me like a makeshift trophy.”
Derek Hough & Shawn Johnson Broke the Rules During DWTS: All-Stars
Johnson and Hough landed in second place to Melissa Rycroft and Tony Dovolani on the DWTS All-Stars season. Johnson had previously won DWTS season 8 with Hough’s best friend Mark Ballas, so the pressure was on.
But Hough and Johnson got into trouble for breaking the rules a few times during the All-Stars. According to CBS News, the duo’s re-do of a quickstep during the finals had them in violation of lifts and holds. After Johnson and Hough debated on breaking hold for their dance and decided to risk it, they were admonished by the judges.
“I’m sad you didn’t choose to follow the rules,” Carrie Ann Inaba told them, per Today. “It’s basically the same thing I saw last time. I’m a little disappointed.”
Bruno Tonioli agreed that the judges’ scores are “bound by the rules,” and head judge Len Goodman clapped back with, “You’re not allowed to break hold, you’re not allowed to do lifts. You leave me nowhere to go.”
In the end, the less-than-perfect 10s may have contributed to Johnson and Hough’s missed chance at all-star winner status. Hough made up for it by winning mirrorball trophies with Pickler and Riley in back-to-back seasons in 2013.
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