Less than a day after taping the semifinals of Dancing With the Stars, judge Derek Hough tested positive for COVID-19. Hough, who is in his second season judging the show, announced the news in an Instagram video on Tuesday, November 16. Hough said he is vaccinated and currently in quarantine. “I feel okay, I feel strong, but I am currently taking advice from medical professionals, doing everything I can to get better as fast as I can,†he added in the video. ABC did not have additional comment at the time. Along with judging Dancing With the Stars, which taped live on November 15, Hough has been performing a Las Vegas residency called “No Limit.†He recently performed five shows from November 10 to 14. (Hough is rescheduling the last run of dates, which were scheduled for November 17 to 21.) Hough did not elaborate on how his COVID-19 case affects the finale of Dancing With the Stars, which is set for November 22. He previously sat out judging the October 4 episode after a “potential COVID exposure,†despite testing negative at the time.
Hough is not the first COVID case to come out of this season of Dancing With the Stars. In October, pro dancer Cheryl Burke tested positive for a breakthrough COVID case, and her celebrity partner, Peloton host Cody Rigsby, later did as well. The two were judged based off rehearsal footage during the first episode they missed, and performed live remotely during the second episode. Rigsby is competing in the finale, alongside performer JoJo Siwa, The Talk co-host Amanda Kloots, and former NBA player Iman Shumpert.