Cat Deeley (left) and Allison Holker Boss.Photo:Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty; Michael Tullberg/Getty
Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty; Michael Tullberg/Getty
Asseason 18of the hit competition show begins, Deeley, 47, tells PEOPLE she finds Allison’s positive attitude inspiring after the 2022 death of her husbandStephen “tWitch” Boss.
“I think if you try and put yourself in somebody else’s shoes, I think this is the only way you could cope with such a loss and such a tragedy is, in some way, shape or form, use this terrible, heartbreaking situation that happened to help somebody else,” Deeley explains. “Because unless you can somehow turn it positive in some way, shape, or form, it is going to just destroy you to your very soul.”
Allison Holker Boss and Stephen “tWitch” Boss.Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
Stephendiedsuddenly at age 40 on Dec. 13, 2022. He and Allison met onSYTYCDin 2010 andgot married in December 2013. The two sharethree childrentogether:Weslie Renae, 15,Maddox Laurel,7, andZaia, 3.
Allison, 36, joined thejudges' panelfor the newest season ofSYTYCDafter previously competing on the show. Stephen also appeared as a judge on the show in seasons 15 and 17.
Speaking about Allison’s involvement on the series, Deeley is hopeful that her presence will open communication about mental health and grief among viewers.
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She continues: “Because the more people talk, the better it is for everybody. And the more you realize we can do something, we can help or the problem isn’t that big, or maybe we can break it down to feel bite-sized, everything will be okay."
Stephen “tWitch” Boss (left) and Cat Deeley at the Teen Choice Awards in 2010.Kevin Winter/TCA 2010/Getty
Kevin Winter/TCA 2010/Getty
Deeley remembers the joy Stephen brought to the set, and how his story represented the mission of the series. She says whenever he couldn’t do something, he tried again and never gave up.
“He was such a good example of having a passion but not necessarily being technically trained,” she recalls. “He tried out three times. He tried out, he got ‘no’ twice, and came back. And he didn’t win, but he went on to have this amazing career — he was onEllen [DeGeneres’s talk show], he was inMagic Mike. He was also one of the most genuinely charming, gentle giants of a man you could ever hope to meet.”
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For those competing on season 18, Deeley hopes contestants learn from Stephen and be present in the journey the show takes them on.
“Enjoy every single moment,” she says. “Think of yourself as a little old man or a little old lady, and what will you want to remember to tell your grandchildren?”
So You Think You Can Danceairs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
source: people.com
