Did Derek Hough Quit ‘Dancing With The Stars’? Season 22 Casting Spoiler Possibly Exposed

Update 8:56 p.m. EST: People Magazine confirmed Hough would not return for Season 22. The dancer has remained silent.

Original story:

The hearts of “Dancing With the Stars” fans might break: Derek Hough will not return to the ABC reality show, KABC-TV reporter George Pennacchio tweeted Tuesday. Not much information was given, except that Hough would not return for the new season.

“I can confirm @derekhough won't be dancing this spring on #DWTS,” Pennacchio wrote Tuesday on his verified Twitter account. “He is officially taking the season off.”

Hough did not confirm the report. Instead, he took to Instagram Monday to say he was excited about working on Broadway. “Proud to be a part of another adventure with The Weinstein Company,” he captioned a picture of himself. The hints about his possible departure from “DWTS” are in the hashtags. He wrote, “#Broadway #singingintherainmusical #classic #2017”

Hough, 30, has toyed with not returning to “DWTS” to pursue other goals in the past. While dancing with former Olympian Nastia Liukin during Season 20, he tried to juggle “DWTS” and Radio City Music Hall’s “New York Spring Spectacular” at the same time. But it was too much for the overworked star. He injured both his feet in a “fluke accident.”

“Performing 10 shows a week at Radio City while rehearsing with Nastia [Lukin] for DWTS, I've never felt more healthy, strong and fit. But then a fluke accident happened that involved a light and some stairs,” he wrote at the time in an Instagram post. “Can't believe it, wish I had a cooler story to tell.”

Hough was unable to finish the season. He returned the following season with Bindi Irwin and took home the Mirrorball Trophy, once again. Hough has won the coveted award six times, more than any other dancer on the hit show.

“Dancing With the Stars” Season 22 will premiere on ABC on Monday, March 21.

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