‘DWTS’ Favorite Derek Hough Reveals He Had Gun Held to His Head, Was Beaten and Hog-Tied

Derek Hough is opening up about his own experience with “extreme” childhood bullying as he calls for change in social media discourse.

The Dancing With the Stars judge revealed in a video shared to Instagram on Monday that he was just coming back from a children’s hospital event “where we had this really meaningful conversation about bullying,” which sparked memories of his own childhood.

“For those of you who don’t know this about me, but I was severely bullied as a kid, myself,” Hough explained. “I experienced some pretty extreme stuff — being hung by a tree by my feet, being spat on, beaten up, a gun held [to] my head, even hog-tied in a field for hours.”

Having experienced “physical and emotional torture” from bullies as a child, the professional dancer explained that bullying has now moved into the digital world. As he and wife Hayley Erbert await the birth of their first child, Hough said he’s been thinking “about the world that we’re shaping for each other.”

While social media is great for allowing people to share “unique thoughts and our perspectives,” Hough said it’s also caused people to “lean into negativity” and “cut through the noise by putting others down or by being the loudest critic in the room.”

“We can share our thoughts in a way that still expresses what we believe but also lifts others up,” Hough encouraged. “We can model a culture where being heard, it doesn’t require tearing anyone down.”

“So, as I step into fatherhood, this is something that I’m committing to reflecting on, and I invite you to try it out,” he concluded. “Together, I really believe that we can shift this culture and create a space where everyone feels heard and respected.”

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In the caption of his video, Hough acknowledged that “negativity is always going to exist in some form,” and while it’s difficult to shield yourself and your children from “every harsh word,” you can be aware that “sometimes that negativity is just someone else’s weakness trying to disguise itself as power.”

“So here’s a thought: what if we take a moment to reflect on the kind of culture we want to build?” he asked. “Before we post or comment, let’s pause and think: are we building each other up or tearing each other down? Are we focusing on kindness and good intentions?”

He concluded, “As I step into fatherhood, I’m thinking about the world we’re shaping for our kids and how we can all be a little more mindful of the voices we choose to amplify. Let’s make that a conversation worth having.”