Derek Hough Glad Judges Can't Save Contestants

Derek Hough, a judge on Dancing With the Stars, voiced his satisfaction that the show no longer allows judges to save contestants, preferring viewer decisions. He stated on October 28, 2026, that he does not want the responsibility of deciding who goes home. Hough believes shocking eliminations are part of the show's dynamic and that the power should remain with the audience at home.

Conversely, guest judge Shirley Ballas suggested bringing back the judges' save. Ballas, a judge on the UK's Strictly Come Dancing, noted that in that format, viewers select the bottom two, and judges then choose who to save. She believes this mechanism prevents potentially less desirable finals by ensuring strong dancers remain. Ballas also commented on her scoring during a recent Horror Movie Night episode, where she gave out notably low scores, but she considered them fair, differentiating them from even lower scores.

Ballas admitted that if she were a full-time judge on DWTS, she might be too lenient with her scoring, as she typically awards 4s and 5s as good scores. Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.