Deeley additionally remembers Stephen “tWitch” Boss and the legacy he left behind, telling PEOPLE he was “one of the crucial genuinely charming, light giants of a person you can ever hope to fulfill”
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Cat Deeley (left) and Allison Holker Boss
Cat Deeley continues to be impressed by Allison Holker Boss‘s power on set of So You Think You Can Dance.
As season 18 of the hit competitors present begins, Deeley, 47, tells PEOPLE she finds Allison’s constructive angle inspiring after the 2022 dying of her husband Stephen “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.”
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Allison Holker Boss and Stephen “tWitch” Boss
Stephen died instantly at age 40 on Dec. 13, 2022. He and Allison met on SYTYCD in 2010 and got married in December 2013. The two share three children collectively: Weslie Renae, 15, Maddox Laurel, 7, and Zaia, 3.
Allison, 36, joined the judges’ panel for the latest season of SYTYCD after beforehand competing on the present. Stephen additionally appeared as a choose on the present in seasons 15 and 17.
Speaking about Allison’s involvement on the collection, Deeley is hopeful that her presence will open communication about psychological well being and grief amongst viewers.
“I think what she does brilliantly — and I don’t know if I could do it, I have to say, I don’t know if I could — she handles her three kids, she comes to work, but she’s not afraid to talk about it and she’s not afraid to talk about him,” the actress says. “The only way that we move forward from this is by everybody having an open dialogue.”
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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.”
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Stephen “tWitch” Boss (left) and Cat Deeley at the Teen Choice Awards in 2010
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 remembers. “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 on Ellen [DeGeneres‘s talk show], he was in Magic 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 these competing on season 18, Deeley hopes contestants study from Stephen and be current within the journey the present 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 Dance airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
If you or somebody you realize is contemplating suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, textual content “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
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