Hayley Erbert can feel the chemistry between her husband, Derek Hough, and Phaedra Parks on Dancing With the Stars — and she loves it.
“Phaedra came up to Derek, and Val [Chmerkovskiy] was like, ‘She has the biggest crush on your husband.’ And I was like, ‘Who doesn’t?’” Erbert, 30, exclusively told Luxury Handbag Shopping after the Tuesday, October 15, Dedication Night episode of the ABC competition series. “I love this little showmance that’s going on. And I just love Phaedra. So, I’m like, ‘Heck yeah, girl. Get in there.’”
Hough, 39, is just as big of a fan of Parks, 50, telling Us that he and Erbert watched her compete on season 2 of The Traitors. “We love that show so much,” he shared. “She was so great.”
Erbert went on to gush, “I’m obsessed with her. Obsessed.”
Fans have picked up on Hough’s showmance with The Real Housewives of Atlanta star since the show’s season 33 premiere last month. “You look incredible. You look fabulous, you really truly do,” he said while giving Parks and Chmerkovskiy, 38, feedback on their first dance. “Oh, my goodness, I feel like I have to talk to you [with a deep, slow voice] the whole time. I just feel that energy between us. Sorry.”
Parks, for her part, exclusively told Luxury Handbag Shopping after the premiere that she thinks the judge is “so sexy.”
Chmerkovskiy later told Us he “didn’t notice” the sparks flying between the pair until after their second dance. “I will go back and look at the tape and reassess the situation,” he joked on September 25.
Chmerkovskiy admitted he’s still “very jealous” of his partner and Hough’s flirty behavior. “That was probably the hardest thing of tonight, is for me to keep my composure while my lady was being flirted with,” he jokingly told Us after Tuesday’s show. “It’s wonderful. The energy’s been great. I think Derek, as a judge on the show, has really been shining. Mark [Ballas] was amazing today as a guest judge. And, yeah, it feels nice.”
He added: “Flirting aside, it’s just great the feedback that they give Phaedra because it gives us something to work on. It also gives her validation for the work that she’s already been putting in.”
Parks and Chmerkovskiy performed a rumba dedicated to her mother, Regina Bell, on Tuesday. While giving his comments, Hough threw shade at last week’s guest judge, Gene Simmons (who gave the duo a five), by breaking and throwing his No. 5 paddle. “No five for you,” he declared.
Hough also took to the ballroom floor with his wife on Tuesday for their first DWTS performance since Erbert underwent emergency brain surgery for a cranial hematoma in December 2023.
“It’s always so special to be back in the ballroom but especially tonight after such a crazy year,” Erbert, who returned to Hough’s Symphony of Dance tour back in April, told Us. “And being here last year for the finale, and it all happening the day after, it’s like it feels truly like a full circle moment, and it was just beautiful. Beautiful to feel the energy, and from a lot of the people that supported us throughout this entire journey, so I’m just grateful always.”
Dancing With the Stars airs simultaneously on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. You can stream episodes on Disney+ the next day.
With reporting by Carly Konsker
