Derek Hough’s on-set acrobatics on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune prompt rule change

Celebrity Wheel of Fortune season 6 premiered on September 26, 2025, with Ryan Seacrest marking his debut in the Celebrity edition, paired with longtime co-host Vanna White and replacing host Pat Sajak.

To start the season, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune featured fan favorite stars from Dancing with the Stars, including Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli, and Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy, competing for charity by solving puzzles and spinning the iconic wheel.

However, during the premiere episode,  Derek Hough’s energetic style took an unexpected turn as he demonstrated his athletic ability by jumping on the contestant's podium. 

He then attempted to mount or climb on the 2,400-pound spinning wheel, which was denied, as any damage to the wheel could get everyone into real trouble because there was no other spinning wheel.

Seacrest described Derek's antics and the situation as,

"In the commercial break, (Hough) was jumping on the center of the wheel and having Bruno spin it, much like the top of a cake ornament," says Seacrest. "We did say, 'Please don't do that. That would break it, and there's only one of those wheels. If that breaks, we have a real problem.'

In response, Ryan Seacrest formed a new rule limiting contestants from any physical contact with the wheel structure beyond the standard spin, with no climbing, mounting, or acrobatic stunts on the wheel allowed, as Ryan Seacrest says,

"We had to sort of say, 'Stick to the ledge'"

Ryan, who has a good relationship with Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough, who is his ex, Julianne Hough's brother, praised the Dancing with the Stars judges for their fun, outgoing, and physically active nature, saying,

"They're very physical, and that makes for fun."

He further expressed that being familiar with guests helps in adding fun to the episode by doing playful banter, noting,

"Knowing someone, or being friends, is definitely helpful," says Seacrest. "You can kind of tease them more than somebody you don't know."

The Celebrity Wheel of Fortune season 6 premiere details

The three DWTS personalities took center stage and spun the Celebrity Wheel of Fortune for charity as Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy competed for the Muscular Dystrophy Association​​​​​​, Derek Hough decided to donate his winning amount to Feeding America, while Bruno Tonioli played for Project Angel Food.

Derek Hough was absolutely terrified and nervous on the show. Vanna White crocheted a baby blanket, which she gave to Derek behind the scenes as he was about to become a father, and then they both did dance moves.

This premiere also introduced the rest of the season’s lineup, which includes episode 3 guests The Hunting Wives stars Katie Lowes, Jaime Ray Newman, and Malin Akerman. 

Other celebrities set to appear on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune include New Kids on the Block member Joey McIntyre, NBA Hall of Famer Dwight Howard, rapper 2 Chainz, comedian Alex Borstein, director and producer Paul Feig, and singer Tori Kelly.  

Celebrity Wheel of Fortune season 6 slot was shifted this year on Friday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC, with episodes available to stream the following day on Hulu and Disney+.

Stay tuned for more updates.