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Is Hayley Erbert really joining ‘DWTS’ panel? The rumor mill is wild — but here’s what’s actually true

Long-time 'DWTS' judge Derek Hough's wife Hayley Erbert has been a part of the ‘DWTS’ team for sometime now

Hayley Erbert has been one of the most loved stars on the reality dancing show, ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ and now rumors suggest that the artist might be taking place alongside her husband, Derek Hough, on the judging panel. The speculation surfaced recently, mentioning that a troupe member of ‘DWTS’ will become a judge in the next season of ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ According to Talent Recap, the rumor spread from a Facebook post that was uploaded over the weekend. The social media post, interestingly, has also garnered more than 4,000 likes. 

Not only that, but the Facebook post that was made by a ‘Dancing with the Stars’ fan account has become the talk of the town, as several people were seen sharing their excitement in the comment section. However, all of this buzz has been reported to be false. According to Talent Recap, the social media post contains AI-generated images of Erbert and her husband. Moreover, the post in question also mentioned that Erbert was in an accident. 

It is crucial to know that Ebert had faced health issues in the past couple of years due to a cranial hematoma. To be precise, the star had burst her blood vessel in the past. The outlet also reported that Erbert underwent an emergency craniotomy in December 2023. The Facebook account in question is known to spread similar false news, one of which happens to be a ‘DWTS’ judge, Carrie Ann Inaba, being pregnant at age 57, as per Talent Recap.

Talking about the judges, the show hasn’t officially announced Erbert as their judge for the upcoming season. As a matter of fact, ‘Dancing with the Stars’ has not announced any new judges as of now, and it is believed that the old panel consisting of Carrie Ann Inaba, Hough, and Bruno Tonioli will reprise their roles for Season 34. Meanwhile, about he stars joining the reality dance competition, it is only Robert Irwin and Alix Earle who have been announced so far. Their professional partners will be announced in the coming weeks. It is also expected that the show’s host, Alfonso Ribeiro, and Julianne Hough will make their grand return to the podium. 

As per People Magazine, Hough and Erbert said, "I do," in Monterey County, California, on August 26, 2023. The pair began dating back in 2015  when they both were a part of ‘Dancing With the Stars.’ Keeping their relationship a secret for the first few years, they made their Instagram debut in 2017. Tragically, just a few months after the couple tied the knot, Erbert underwent emergency brain surgery. Talking about the life-threatening incident, back then she had uploaded a post on Instagram that read "Hold your loved ones close and treasure every moment."   Season 33 of ‘DWTS’ concluded, naming Joey Graziadei as its winner. The next season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ will possibly air this fall on ABC.