‘DWTS’ Derek Hough Opens Up About Being Held At Gunpoint

ByJennifer Havener
'DWTS' Derek Hough/Credit: YouTube

Derek Hough opened up like never before about his life. He talked about a scary experience when he was held at gunpoint and feared for his life. Keep reading to find out what happened.

Derek Hough About To Be A First-Time Father

Derek Hough has been a fan favorite on DWTS for years. He was a professional dancer for sixteen seasons, taking home the Mirrorball Trophy six times. He left the show as a pro after Season 23 but returned in Season 29 for a special reason. Longtime judge Len Goodman was unable to travel to Los Angeles, California, from England in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Derek stepped in as judge.

The reality TV dance competition suffered a huge loss in 2023 when Len Goodman died. Derek’s role as judge went from temporary to permanent after the shocking loss.

Derek Hough from Instagram
Derek Hough – Instagram

Derek Hough’s personal life has been full of ups and downs in the years since Len’s passing. He married fellow pro dancer Hayley Erbert in 2023. But the newlyweds immediately faced a difficult time after Hayley underwent emergency surgery for a burst blood vessel in her brain.

It was a long recovery, but the couple shared the happiest news in July – they’re expecting their first baby! They recently went on a babymoon ahead of their bundle of joy’s arrival.

DWTS Star Opens Up About Being Held At Gunpoint

Derek Hough’s life is going great now. In addition to the baby news, he was named the new host of Extra after Billy Bush’s departure. The pro dancer is wildly popular with DWTS viewers. But his life wasn’t always great.

In a vulnerable social media post, Derek Hough opened up about the brutal bullying he went through in his younger years. The incidents included being held at gunpoint.

He took to Instagram to share his thoughts after speaking at a children’s hospital recently. “Just wanted to come on here and share a few thoughts that have been on my heart lately,” he said in the Instagram video.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Derek Hough (@derekhough)

What’s been on his heart is bullying. He shared his own experience with being bullied. “I experienced some pretty extreme stuff … being hung by a tree by my feet, being spat on, beaten up, a gun held to my head, even hogtied in a field for hours,” he said.

His Message Against Bullying

Derek Hough wrote in the caption that he’s been thinking a lot about the prevalence of bullying now that he’s about to be a dad. “The reality is, negativity is always going to exist in some form. We can’t necessarily shield ourselves or our kids from every harsh word,” he wrote.

But he believes parents can help “equip” their kids to help them deal with bullying. He added, “Before we post or comment, let’s pause and think: are we building each other up or tearing each other down? Are we focusing on kindness and good intentions?”

“As I step into fatherhood, I’m thinking about the world we’re shaping for our kids and how we can all be a little more mindful of the voices we choose to amplify,” Derek concluded.

Did you ever experience intense bullying like the DWTS judge? Tell us about it in the comments.

Jennifer Havener
Follow me
Latest posts by Jennifer Havener (see all)