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DWTS’ Derek Hough on Illness: “It Felt Like Horse Flu!”

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Derek Hough made an appearance on Monday's Dancing with the Stars — in the audience. As Maksim Chmerkovskiy stood in for Hough during a performance with Hough's partner Joanna Krupa, Hough spoke to Usmagazine.com about the serious flu that forced him to sit out this week of competition. Although his symptoms were severe, doctors have concluded that Hough did not contract swine flu.

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"I don't even know how to describe it," Hough told Us. "It felt like horse flu! It was unbelievable. I was out."

The bout marks a first for the performer, 24. "Nothing has ever stopped me from dancing but this – I couldn't even move. I was in the hospital, I had IVs in my arm…they had to test me for a whole bunch of stuff. I've never experienced anything like it in my life!"

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Hough, who admitted he was "drugged up" during the interview, hopes to recuperate enough to perform next week — if Krupa's routine with Maksim wins enough votes, that is.

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"It was weird" watching her dance with Chmerkovskiy, he admits. "But they did a great job — Joanna works her butt off!"

How did instant partners Chmerkovskiy and Krupa make it work, with only a few days to prepare? "I just had to kind of wing it!" Chmerkovskiy tells Us. "I came in and started throwing her around! Joanna did such a great job. Anything will be a piece of cake for her after this."

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