Derek Hough

Derek Hough is an award-winning dancer, choreographer, actor, and television personality. He won the IDSF World Latin U-21 Championship in 2002 and the Blackpool U-21 Latin title in 2003. He has received multiple Emmy Award nominations for choreography and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography in 2013 and 2015.

Hough gained international recognition as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars. Joining the series in 2007, he won the competition six times with celebrity partners Brooke Burke (2008), Nicole Scherzinger (2010), Jennifer Grey (2010), Kellie Pickler (2013), Amber Riley (2013), and Bindi Irwin (2015). He later served as a judge beginning in 2020 and became interim head judge in 2023. In 2013, he choreographed part of Olympic ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White's gold medal-winning program for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Alongside his sister Julianne Hough, he headlined the Move Live on Tour productions in 2014 and 2015 and the MOVE BEYOND Live on Tour in 2017. He also co-created the Move Interactive fitness events in 2016.

Hough's stage credits include Jesus Christ Superstar, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Footloose: The Musical (2006) in London's West End and on its UK tour, Burn the Floor on Broadway (2010), and the New York Spring Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall (2015).

As an actor, Hough appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), Rock of Ages (2012), and starred in Make Your Move (2014). His television acting credits include Better with You (2011), Nashville (2014–2015), Jane the Virgin (2016), and Hairspray Live! (2016), in which he portrayed Corny Collins.

In addition to his television and stage work, Hough was a founding member of the Ballas Hough Band and contributed vocals, guitar, and songwriting to the group's 2009 debut album. He directed Mark Ballas' music video Get My Name (2014), choreographed Lindsey Stirling's music video The Arena (2016), and appeared on Breaking Benjamin's 2018 album Ember. He authored the memoir Taking the Lead: Lessons from a Life in Motion (2014), hosted the NBC special Return to Downton Abbey: A Grand Event (2019), and starred in the HGTV series Mark & Derek's Excellent Flip (2015).

In 2017, Hough joined NBC's dance competition series World of Dance as a judge alongside Jennifer Lopez and Ne-Yo, remaining with the series throughout its four-season run. In 2025, he was announced as the new host of Extra, beginning with the program's 32nd season.