Emmy Award winning and New York Times Best-Selling author Derek Hough started dancing in his hometown of Salt Lake City, UT, at age 11. Just one year later, he moved to London to live and train with the top dance coaches in the world and attend the prestigious Italia Conti performing arts school where he studied theatre, music, and dance.  He is a four-time Emmy Award winner and 13-time nominee, his four Emmys tie him for most in Television Academy history.

Hough is the current host of the long-running television program Extra.  He has also appeared in film, television, and stage projects as an actor. He made his feature film debut for director Duane Adler and producer Robert Cort in the feature film Make Your Move and had a recurring role on the ABC series Nashville and in High School Musical The Musical for Disney+. His stage performances include Radio City Music Hall’s Spring Spectacular costarring alongside the Tony Award winning Laura Benanti and the critically acclaimed production of Footloose in which he starred as the male lead in London's West End. In December of 2016, Hough starred with Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Martin Short and Harvey Fierstein in NBC’s Hairspray Live!

As a cast member of the ABC series Dancing with the Stars, Hough is part of the judging panel alongside Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno.  A multi-talented entertainer and the only six-time champion in franchise history, Hough had previously performed on the show as a pro-dancer. His mirror ball wins came with celebrity partners that included Brooke Burke, Jennie Garth, Ricki Lake, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Grey, Kellie Pickler, Amber Riley, Amy Purdy and Bindi Irwin.

In May of 2017, Hough joined Jennifer Lopez and Ne-Yo at the judges table for the NBC series World of Dance. The show, which he was part of for 4 seasons, launched as the highest rated summer show in over ten years and was unparalleled dance competition that featured solo artists competing against duos and crews in all genres of dance, including hip hop, tap, ballet, break dancing, ballroom, and more competing for a million-dollar prize.

Hough can also add best-selling author to his list of credits. His memoir Taking the Lead; Lessons from a Life in Motion hit stands in August of 2014 and rapidly was named to the prestigious New York Times Best-Seller list during two non-consecutive time periods, a rare feat.

Currently, Hough can be found touring the country with his Symphony of Dance Encore production alongside his wife Hayley Erbert Hough. In November of 2024, Hough launched his first ever holiday tour, Derek Hough Dance for the Holidays which followed Hough’s second solo tour, Derek Hough Symphony of Dance. His first tour, Derek Hough Live: The Tour was in 2019 and prior to that, Hough and his sister Julianne teamed for MOVE Live on Tour performing in 50 cities around the country, in 2015 they toured again selling out scores of venues on their 47-city outing. In 2017 they again performed a sold-out tour of 48 cities around the United States with their show Move – Beyond – Live on Tour. 

In 2021 and 2022, Hough headlined his residency Derek Hough: No Limit in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada. The critically acclaimed dance- centric show at the Venetian Resort takes Fans on a journey through a true fusion of dance and music, as Hough explores styles ranging from ballroom and tap to salsa, hip-hop and everything in between.