Derek Hough Talks ‘DWTS’ Return, Partner Bethany Mota And Sister Julianne Judging
Derek Hough is returning to Dancing with the Stars for Season 19, a move that surprised many of his fans. He’ll be partnered with YouTube star Bethany Mota when the new season begins on Monday. Why did Derek decide to return to DWTS for another season? What does he think about his new partner? Does he believe his sister Julianne Hough can be a fair judge? He opens up about all of that in a new blog post, and fans won’t want to miss it.
Hough writes in his blog for TV Guide that he wasn’t sure if he would be back for Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars, mostly because he was so exhausted. This has been a busy year for the DWTS pro, as he danced last season with Amy Purdy and then went right into a tour over the summer with Julianne. He has been working on an HGTV project with buddy and fellow DWTS pro Mark Ballas, and he also has a book out. In addition, Hough is even filming an arc on the NBC show Nashville right now.
Despite all of that, it seems he just couldn’t walk away from the show. He admits that part of it may well be that he doesn’t want to let fans down. In addition, there are a lot of changes ahead for the show and he wants to be a part of it all. As for Derek’s partner Bethany Mota, he admits that he wasn’t sure who she was at first. However, he was quickly impressed by all she has already accomplished, and the two seem to be off to a great start.
Hough calls Mota an absolute sweetheart, and he says he loves what she stands for with the brand she’s building. They will be dancing the jive Monday, and Derek says it’s going well. Hough also notes that the Season 19 cast is an eclectic one, but everybody is really excited to be on the show. He says he definitely has his eye on both Janel Parrish and Alfonso Ribeiro as big competition.
The big question many are asking is whether Derek’s sister Julianne can be an impartial judge. There have been some DWTS fans complaining that it isn’t fair to have her behind the judge’s table while he’s competing, but Derek says he believes she will do a great job. He says she’s not afraid to be honest, and he knows she won’t treat him any differently than she would anyone else.
For her part, Julianne Hough told People that she isn’t going to be malicious or mean as a judge, and she’s not aiming to cause controversy. Rather, she wants to be supportive and provide honest, candid feedback. She also won’t be too politically correct, she says.
As for that role on Nashville, Derek teases that he’s playing an actor named Noah West. The character will be making a movie with Juliette about Patsy Cline, and so far he’s booked for four episodes. He adds that he doesn’t know if role could go longer than that, in part because of where the story heads but also because of scheduling.
Tune in to Dancing with the Stars premiere on ABC on Monday, September 15 to see Derek Hough and Bethany Mota together. Could they be contenders for the Season 19 mirror-ball trophy?
[Image via Ace Showbiz]
