Derek Hough is ‘Definitely Here’ for Mark Ballas as DWTS Permanent Judge

Derek Hough it is very open Mark Ballas returning as a permanent judge on Dancing with the Stars.

“I’m definitely here,” Hough, 39, said to himself Us Weekly next week 5 ka Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday, October 15. “I think Mark has a lot to offer. You have a lot of wisdom, understanding and knowledge.”

Ballas, a former professional dancer and three-time Mirrorball champion DWTS from 2007 to 2022, she returned as a guest judge for season 33 of the dance series Dancing with the Judges Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba again Bruno Tonioli.

Hough went on to share that Ballas’ mom “could be the head judge” of the UK version of DWTS, so she’s off the list of “experts.”

“So I’d like it,” he growled. “We had a great time tonight. And I was literally taking notes. You know, he was saying some things, and I was like, ‘I like that.’ He is beautiful.”

Hough himself joined DWTS The jury in 2020 after previously performing as a pro dancer from 2007 to 2016.

Although Hough is proud of all the celebrities performing this year, he was okay with the response there Us he asked who was more advanced.

“Danny [Amendola].I’ll be honest with you — I was afraid people would forget about him in the last few weeks,” Hough explained. “But you see how he does a lot of work during practice and he does research. He watches the videos as if he is seeing them.”

Amendola, 38, partner Whitney Carsonperformed Contemporary on “Unsteady- The Erich Lee Gravity Remix” by X Ambassadors for Dedication Night on Tuesday. The two went on to score 36/40 and placed first in the night wrestling with him Joey Graziadei again Jenna Johnson.

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Hough noted that he thought Amendola had “success” during Tuesday’s episode.

“It’s people like him who come to the program and open up dancing for other people who may not have been exposed to dancing,” he added. “Because it’s like, ‘Look at this Super Bowl champion athlete out here dancing and look at what he’s doing. And wow, the dance is fast and hard and beautiful.’ And he’s really dedicated.”

When Hough was a judge, she did a good dance for him Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” with his wife, Hayley Erbert, marked his first time back in the ballroom since undergoing emergency brain surgery for a cranial hematoma in December 2023.

“It’s always very special to go back to the ballroom, but especially tonight after a crazy year,” said Erbert, 30, he told. Us. “It was great to feel the energy and to come from so many people who supported us throughout this journey, so I’m always grateful.”

Tune in Dancing with the Stars season 33 every Tuesday at 8 pm on ABC and Disney+.

With reporting by Carly Konsker