Dancing With The Stars judge Derek Hough revealed that cooking with his girlfriend, Hayley Erbert, during the pandemic brought them closer together. Derek has been on the competition show for a while, starting as a pro dancer for nine years before coming back to be a judge. He met Hayley, who’s also a professional dancer, on the show. The couple has even paired up for a performance on DWTS and had fans convinced that Derek was going to propose to Hayley during a 2020 episode. Although Derek made it clear he wouldn’t propose on the show, the couple is still going strong since beginning their relationship in 2015.
Derek’s been judging the season 30 contestants alongside Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba. There are a lot of standout contestants this season, including Dance Moms alum JoJo Siwa, Olympian Suni Lee and Broadway dancer Amanda Kloots. However, there’s one contestant that Derek is completely surprised by. Olivia Jade Giannulli, who’s known for being Lori Loughlin’s daughter and part of the college admissions scandal, may not have completely won over the public favor but has the judges very impressed with her. Derek admitted to not thinking much of her casting when it was announced, but now thinks Olivia’s a great dancer who has a shot at the Mirrorball Trophy.
Derek and Hayley not only dance together, but have begun cooking together during the pandemic, as well. “I haven’t been in the kitchen a lot but these past two years with quarantine my girlfriend and I have been cooking a lot in the kitchen,” Derek told Hello. He went on to say that he’s “excited” to see his family’s reaction to the Thanksgiving meal he’s going to cook, even joking “they might actually pass out.“
Derek said that Hayley is the more experienced cook, but having the time to cook together in quarantine has definitely brought them closer. “Doing it together has made us bond even closer. And being with food makes it even more special. With me being a choreographer and a creator, there’s something special about making something and then to be able to enjoy it.” Derek and Hayley are both dancers in the entertainment industry, so it’s understandable that their schedules can get crazy. It’s a silver lining that being in quarantine allowed the couple to spend more time together and hone a new skill.
Derek has been a veteran of DWTS for a long time, so it’s nice for fans to hear that his relationship is going strong. Season 30, which he’s a judge for, is one of the most competitive seasons because of all the talented contestants. According to Derek, there are still contestants like Olivia who are surprising him, so it looks like it’s gearing up to be a tight competition for who takes home the DWTS Mirrorball Trophy.
Dancing With The Stars airs Mondays at 8 pm EST on ABC.
