It’s no wonder a mistake like that has been burned in his brain ever since—especially considering how popular Dancing with the Stars was at the time and how many people probably caught the moment between Jennie Garth and Derek Hough during primetime.
Now a seasoned pro, Derek Hough is 31, but as he notes in his interview with People, the memorable fall came during his first season on the show, when Hough was still quite young.
It’s not often that a professional dancer makes a major flub on Dancing with the Stars these days, but in the early run of the hit ABC series, the show was still figuring out formatting and what works for TV and what doesn’t.