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Derek Hough Came Back to Dancing With the Stars Because It's "Home"

Plus, the returning pro dishes on Mark Ballas' Broadway debut

By Jean Bentley Sep 08, 2016 12:01 AMTags
Watch: Derek Hough Talks "Dancing With the Stars" Season 23 Return

When Derek Hough's Broadway debut in Singin' In the Rain was postponed to 2017, he didn't take the gap in his schedule as an opportune time for a vacation—instead, he decided to work doubletime so he could return to his second home: the Dancing With the Stars ballroom.

"Dancing With the Stars is my home; it's my family," he told E! News at the DWTS season 23 cast party. "For me, if I can, I will."

Should Hough and partner Marilu Henner last through the end of October, he'll be pulling double duty with DWTS and rehearsals for his role in NBC's Hairspray Live!

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Meet Dancing With the Stars' Season 23 Cast
ABC

"I had some other plans, they got postponed, so all the pieces are there—they just got rearranged," he told us. But despite the potential for some very exhausting work days, he's thrilled about the schedule change. "I'm happy to be here, man! I'm happy to get on the dance floor and put some sequins on!"

Hough's costar, Mark Ballas, on the other hand, actually is heading to the Great White Way. Ballas announced this week that he's taking over the role of Frankie Valli in the musical Jersey Boys, and will remain with the cast until the show closes in January. Hough and Ballas were actually classmates—they trained in London together at the same theater arts school—and Hough says he couldn't be prouder of his friend.

"For him to do this, I'm so happy for him it's ridiculous," he confessed.

Hough and Henner make their DWTS debut when season 23 premieres Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. on ABC. Hairspray Live! airs Dec. 7 on NBC.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)