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Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the dancer turned DJ for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, died on December 13. He was 40. Boss’s death was an apparent suicide, per multiple reports. He was found in a hotel room in Los Angeles, TMZ first reported. He had left home without his car shortly before, which he did not usually do, his wife, Allison Holker, reportedly told police. Holker confirmed the news to People in a statement. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” she said. “Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.”
“To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” she continued. “I am certain there won’t be a day that goes by that we won’t honor his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children. Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.”
DeGeneres honored Boss in an Instagram post. “I’m heartbroken,” she wrote. “tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him.”
Boss first auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance season three in 2007, but did not make the top 20. He auditioned again the following season, when he finished as runner-up. He continued to appear on the show for multiple seasons after. In 2014, Boss became a DJ for Ellen. He developed a rapport with the host, and would often guest-host in her absence. In 2020, she named him an executive producer, and he stayed with the show through its finale this past May. He was also the announcer on Ellen’s Game of Games. Earlier this year, he hosted a new series for Fox, The Real Dirty Dancing.
In 2013, Boss married Holker, another So You Think You Can Dance star. They went on to co-host Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings from 2017–2020. Boss’s death came just days after their ninth wedding anniversary on December 10.
If you or anyone you know are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
This post has been updated throughout.
