Podcast Summary: Bobbycast – Derek Hough Talks DWTS, New Dad Life, and the Stolen Mirrorball

Podcast: The Bobby Bones Show
Episode Title: BOBBYCAST - Derek Hough Talks DWTS + New Dad Life + The Stolen Mirrorball
Date: February 10, 2026
Host: Bobby Bones
Guest: Derek Hough

Episode Overview

This engaging Bobbycast episode features Emmy-winning dancer, judge, and new dad Derek Hough in a candid conversation with host Bobby Bones. The episode covers Derek's transition into fatherhood, valuable advice about parental expectations, his personal journey from bullied kid in Utah to champion in London, the evolution and behind-the-scenes dynamics of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), the impact of the late Len Goodman, and the hilarious saga of a stolen mirrorball trophy. The tone is warm, open, and filled with mutual admiration, genuine insight, and playful honesty.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kindness, Gratitude, and New Dad Life

Timestamps: 00:35 – 05:33

• Bobby begins by praising Derek's authentic kindness, comparing it to Tim Tebow:

  “There are two people that, in my career have always been so kind… it's you and Tim Tebow. The nicest people. And not nice, like, fake nice.” — Bobby Bones (00:37)

• Derek shares about new fatherhood: His daughter is a good sleeper, which he feels grateful for ("Thank God"). Derek offers wisdom from his own therapist and life:
  • “Trade your expectation for appreciation and everything changes.”— Derek Hough (02:17)
• Both discuss societal pressure to feel an intense, immediate parental bond, but how everyone’s timeline is unique:

  “Do not put the pressure on yourself to feel it immediately. And if you don’t feel it, that’s okay. You’ll eventually get there.” — Bobby Bones (03:25)

• Derek’s vulnerability: He describes being scared, awkward, and even feeling like a failure holding his daughter at first, until his wife Haley reassured him:

  “She had this beautiful moment. She says, honey, you’re amazing. You’re doing great.” — Derek Hough (04:58)

2. Athleticism, Dance Journey, and Early Struggles

Timestamps: 05:33 – 13:00

• Could Derek have been a pro athlete?
  • He thinks so, citing his speed and skill as a flag football receiver, but admits he’s too fragile for contact sports (06:14).
• On discovering rhythm and dance:
  • Initially resistant, Derek’s mom forced him to join his sisters’ dance class. The immediate encouragement from instructors and the social aspect drew him in:

    “I didn’t want to go... then I walk in the door, I’m like, there’s girls in here.” — Derek Hough (08:51)

• Dance provided community and self-esteem that contrasted sharply with frequent bullying and awkwardness at school. Dance studios felt like home, while school was tumultuous (09:43).
  • “But dance always felt like home, you know? It always felt like a good place to be.” — Derek Hough (10:44)

3. Moving to London and Developing a Work Ethic

Timestamps: 11:01 – 14:11

• At age 12, Derek moved to London for dance—a huge cultural shift that exposed him to global diversity and rigorous discipline:
  • “London was a great place to sort of nourish a skill and really [develop] discipline and a work ethic that … I’m more thankful for than anything else.” — Derek Hough (12:27)
• The demanding schedule of early dance competitions instilled values of hard work, sacrifice, and persistence.
• Derek is grateful he "missed out" on typical teenage/college experiences, using his early 20s (after fame hit) to have fun and balance out his earlier discipline (14:20).

4. The Dancing with the Stars Era: Growth, Burnout, and Service

Timestamps: 14:45 – 20:45

• DWTS as a career turning point: Derek describes considering declining the show, but after his sister Julianne’s success, he joined, never expecting the show would last 20 years (15:20).
  • “I remember people saying back then, ‘Oh, this show's got like three more seasons left in it...’ 20 years later, [we’re] still kicking it.” — Derek Hough (16:07)
• Initial burnout and renewed motivation: After feeling stagnant, Derek found new purpose by focusing on service:
  • “Let me try to, like, really not think about myself and just go on that show to, like, serve my partner, to, like, serve the show... That was my season with Shawn Johnson, and ... that was kind of like my ... breakout season as far as feeling personally, like, unleashed.” — Derek Hough (18:26)
• This mindset shift led to a creative and winning streak: second place with Shawn Johnson, then back-to-back wins with Kellie Pickler and Amber Riley (20:08).

5. DWTS Behind the Scenes: Competition and Camaraderie

Timestamps: 22:18 – 24:44

• Early seasons’ intense competitiveness: The pros, plucked from the highly competitive Latin/ballroom circuit, brought that energy to DWTS.
  • “We were competitors ... That mindset of ‘I’m against you, I’m against everybody’ was instilled in us.” — Derek Hough (22:28)
• Over time, the show culture shifted to more camaraderie as new pros grew up as fans of DWTS and brought gratitude to the experience.

6. Len Goodman’s Legacy and Judge-Contestant Dynamics

Timestamps: 24:44 – 30:40

• Bobby and Derek’s off-air affection for the late Len Goodman: Len was strict and cutting on TV, but charming and warm off camera.

  “He was the hardest on me ... But, like, I loved that dude. He was so nice to me off camera.” — Bobby Bones (25:15)

• Derek’s memories of Len:

  “I begged him... can you write a book of just like, Len-isms? Because the things you would say, they were just so good and so funny and charming and witty and ... not nice. But you’d be like, ah, it’s Len.” — Derek Hough (26:01)

• Humorous recounting of Len asking for a specific dance move, only to harshly critique it after Derek performed it.
• Derek always includes a tribute to Len in his live shows, appreciating his impact:
  • “I’m still keeping that in because ... we wouldn’t be here really without him. He really helped build that show.” — Derek Hough (29:12)
• The Mirrorball is now renamed the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy (30:35).

7. The Saga of the Stolen Mirrorball Trophy

Timestamps: 32:01 – 34:06

• Derek currently doesn’t know where all six of his trophies are; he travels with them for his tours.
• Hilarious story: During a party phase, two trophies went missing after a condo afterparty.

  “Luckily, there was like a card on the ground ... I called, ‘Hey, did you take my trophies?’ ... ‘Yeah. We took them. They’re in Koreatown… in the bush somewhere at this address.’”— Derek Hough (32:28-33:19)

• He recovered them unharmed, but notes the trophies cost around $5,000 each to replace.

8. Bobby’s Emotional Confession About Returning His Trophy

Timestamps: 34:06 – 36:33

• Bobby reveals he mailed his trophy back after being hurt by something he’d heard about someone he admired (Tom Bergeron), partially due to post-surgery emotional vulnerability:

  “I mailed it back because I was upset. I was very sensitive. I love Tom. And my feelings got really hurt.” — Bobby Bones (35:39)

• He addresses criticism about his win, clarifying he wasn’t the worst dancer that season, but became unfairly tagged as a “bad winner.”

9. Dance Culture: Touching, Intimacy, and Public Misconceptions

Timestamps: 36:35 – 39:45

• Bobby recalls initial discomfort with the physical nature of dance; Derek confirms that to dancers, this is “very clinical,” not romantic or intimate.

  “For a dancer, it’s not intimate ... It’s very clinical. You know, it’s like, hey, get your ... get there. ... From a balance perspective or to create the speed and the dynamics. I’m thinking of the performance.” — Derek Hough (37:49)

• Most rumors about pro-celebrity romance are untrue:

  “They're like my sisters, you know... but we can just dance.” — Derek Hough (39:41)

10. Personal Updates and Touring Life

Timestamps: 39:45 – 42:49

• Derek discusses his “dad job” hosting Extra (four days a week, with his own office), and the fulfillment he finds in live performance over TV.
• On the upcoming "Symphony of Dance" tour: live band, elite dancers, varied dance styles, emotional storytelling. The show also carries special meaning because his wife Haley suffered (and recovered from) a brain bleed during a previous tour, strengthening their connection to the production.

11. Partner Selection Process

Timestamps: 42:51 – 45:21

• Bobby asks if pros have input on celebrity partners. Derek insists no, but shares one story when his schedule required pairing with someone based in NY, and Nastya Liukin was chosen as a coincidence—not cherry-picking.
• Derek notes the culture has shifted:

  “People want to be on the show, they want to be there ... In the past, there’d be people who were like, ‘what am I doing here?’” — Derek Hough (45:29)

12. Closing Thoughts

Timestamps: 46:16 – End

• Bobby praises Derek for “filling Len’s spot wonderfully” by being himself, not an imitation:

  “You filled Lynn's spot wonderfully, because you’re not trying to be Lynn. You’re just being you.”— Bobby Bones (46:18)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Fatherhood:
  “Trade your expectation for appreciation and everything changes.” — Derek Hough (02:17)

• On Feeling Pressure to Instantly Bond:
  “Do not put the pressure on yourself to feel it immediately. And if you don’t feel it, that’s okay.” — Bobby Bones (03:25)

• On Early Dance Life:
  “I walk in the door, I’m like, there's girls in here.” — Derek Hough (08:51)

• On Mirrorball Trophy Shenanigans:
  “I called, ‘Hey, did you take my trophies?’ ... ‘Yeah. We took them. They’re in Koreatown… in the bush somewhere at this address.’” — Derek Hough (33:19)

• On Len Goodman’s Iconic Personality:
  “Can you write a book of just like, Len-isms? ... some ... not nice. But you’d be like, ah, it’s Len.” — Derek Hough (26:01)

• On Being a Judge:
  “Where I sit and being in that position ... I genuinely don't take it lightly.” — Derek Hough (29:12)

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Start | Topic | |-----------------------------------------|----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | Genuine Kindness & Parenting Talk | 00:35 | Kindness, new dad advice, expectation vs appreciation | | Derek’s Childhood & Dance Journey | 05:33 | Athleticism, bullying, dance as home | | London Move & Early Career | 11:01 | Cultural shocks, discipline, gratitude | | Dancing with the Stars Early Days | 14:45 | Joining, burnout, the turning point | | Backstage DWTS & Culture Shift | 22:18 | Rivalries, camaraderie evolved | | Len Goodman Legacy | 24:44 | Judge-competitor dynamic, personal stories with Len | | The Stolen Mirrorball | 32:01 | Trophy shenanigans | | Bobby’s Trophy Story | 34:06 | Mailing back the trophy, emotions | | Dance Culture and Touching | 36:35 | The reality of dance intimacy vs rumor | | Extra, Live Performance & Touring | 39:45 | Derek’s new job, upcoming tour | | Partner Selection | 42:51 | How pairs are made, show cultural changes | | Finale | 46:16 | Praises, the value of being authentic |

Summary for Non-Listeners

This in-depth conversation offers fans and newcomers alike an inside look at Derek Hough’s personal growth, fatherhood, his dance journey, and the unique realities of DWTS. Personal stories—ranging from touching moments with his wife and daughter to the wild saga of a stolen trophy—blend with honest reflections about competition, burnout, loss, and finding purpose in service to others. The episode highlights Derek’s humility, gratitude, and the joyful spirit that’s made him both a champion and a beloved TV figure. If you’re curious about the realities behind the glitz of dance competition TV—or just want wise, funny life advice—this episode delivers.