Derek Hough says sister Julianne will be 'great mentor' as 'DWTS' co-host

"She's just a wonderful person," he gushed.

September 13, 2023, 11:33 AM

Derek Hough is all about the ladies in his life: his wife Hayley Erbert and his little sister Julianne Hough.

The six-time Mirrorball champ is back as a judge for season 32 of "Dancing with the Stars" with Julianne Hough, who won the Mirrorball twice, stepping in as co-host alongside Alfonso Ribeiro.

"One of the things I'm looking forward to about working with my sister again is just, she's just a wonderful person, she's a great person to work with," Derek Hough gushed to "Good Morning America" of working alongside his sister. "She's amazing at what she does, she knows the show inside and out, she's a part of the show, she's important to the show, really, I feel like, from the history of it."

PHOTO: Derek Hough and Julianne Hough
Derek Hough and Julianne Hough
Getty Images

The three-time Emmy winner added that in addition to being a "great host," he believes Julianne Hough will be "a great mentor to a lot of the people there, because she's been there, she's done it."

"She'll be fantastic," he continued, teasing their onscreen dynamic. "And I think it'll kinda be fun to play with each other, just kind of like, you know, to have some banter. We'll see what happens."

Derek Hough also opened up about married life with Erbert and their recent wedding.

PHOTO:Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert attend the Los Angeles Premiere of LucasFilms' "Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny" at Dolby Theatre, June 14, 2023, in Los Angeles.
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert attend the Los Angeles Premiere of LucasFilms' "Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny" at Dolby Theatre, June 14, 2023, in Los Angeles.
Emma Mcintyre/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

From their nuptials, he said his favorite memory was "of course the moment my beautiful wife Hayley was walking down the aisle," saying that image "will forever be in my mind and in my heart."

As for his favorite part about being Erbert's husband, Derek Hough said it's "just the feeling of being committed to someone that I love for the rest of my life."

"It's a beautiful feeling," he effused, "a beautiful sense of freedom and excitement."

"Dancing with the Stars" season 26 premieres Sept. 26 on ABC and Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News and "Good Morning America."

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