Partnering with her real-life boyfriend, country singer Chuck Wicks, wasn't enough to keep two-time "Dancing With the Stars" co-champ (and Utah native) Julianne Hough in the competition.

Wicks and Hough were booted from the reality-show competition Tuesday night.

Two other Utah dancers - Julianne's brother Derek (partnered with rapper Lil Kim) and Chelsie Hightower (partnered with rodeo champ Ty Murray) - are among the final five pairings still in the competition.

Labels: Chelsie Hightower, Derek Hough, Julianne Hough

Utah's own dancing country singer, Julianne Hough, has received another indication of how famous she has become: She was an answer in Saturday's New York Times crossword puzzle.

The clue for 57-across was "Two-time 'Dancing With the Stars' co-winner Julianne."

Devotees of the Times know that Saturday's puzzle is the most brain-twisting of the week - and it's an open question whether your snootier cruciverbalists (look it up) will admit knowing anything about a reality-TV show.

Labels: Julianne Hough

Park City's Derek Hough has done what his sister Julianne has done twice: Guided a B-list celebrity to victory on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

Hough and his celebrity partner, model/actress Brooke Burke, took the top prize on Tuesday night's show - winning out over retired football player Warren Sapp and former 'NSync pretty boy Lance Bass.

Julianne, who took the trophy with Olympic speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno and Indy car racer Helio Castroneves, announced last week she was quitting "Dancing With the Stars" (after she and her partner, "Hannah Montana" co-star Cody Linley, were eliminated) to concentrate on her country-music career.

Labels: Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, Reality show

Utah's own Julianne Hough won't be dancing with any stars next year.

Hough, the professional dancer who guided both Apolo Anton Ohno and Helio Castroneves to victory on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," on Thursday announced she's done with the popular show.

"I really, really want to focus on the music and, you know, kind of be taken seriously a little bit," she told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show.

This season was rough on Hough (pictured here on her final appearance Tuesday). She had an emergency appendectomy during the show's run, and this week was eliminated with her celebrity partner, "Hannah Montana" actor Cody Linley. (Her brother, Derek Hough, and model Brooke Burke are one of the three pairs in the finals.)

Hough has released two CDs this year - her debut country album, "That Song in My Head," and a holiday collection, "Songs of the Season" - and she says "music is where I want to be."

(Photo: ABC)

Labels: Julianne Hough, Reality show

Utah ballroom dancer and country singer Julianne Hough may have to drop out of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," as she's scheduled for surgery today.

Hough had complained of stomach pains last week, and was replaced by Edyta Sliwinska as dance partner to "Hannah Montana" co-star Cody Linley on Monday night's competition. According to this Associated Press report, Hough, 20, has been diagnosed with endomitriosis, in which tissue from the uterus lining grows outside the uterus. If untreated, it can cause painful cysts and possibly infertility.

To battle the condition, Hough will have her appendix moved in a minor surgical procedure today, she said on her web site. She plans to be back dancing on next week's show.

Labels: Julianne Hough, Reality show

Utah's own Julianne Hough is the latest to be stricken with a health problem on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

According to this account from E! Online, Hough (pictured here with her current dance partner, "Hannah Montana" co-star Cody Linley) was rushed to the hospital with stomach pains after Tuesday night's elimination show. She said she had been suffering them all day, but they became too much to handle.

Hough isn't the first person on "Dancing With the Stars" to have a health scare this season. Actress-model Brooke Burke hurt her foot practicing the jitterbug with partner Derek Hough (Julianne's brother), and Olympic beach volleyballer Misty May-Treanor had to drop out after rupturing her Achilles tendon.

Labels: Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, Reality show