Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the adored DJ-turned-executive producer who played a vital role in energizing the audience for a span of nine years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and who achieved his major breakthrough on So You Think You Can Dance, passed away at the age of 40.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed that the dancer, choreographer, actor, and producer died by suicide. Additionally, his wife, Allison Holker Boss, released a statement confirming the news and emphasizing her husband’s brilliance and enduring impact.
The boss passed away in a hotel room in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.
Holker expressed on Wednesday, “I am deeply saddened to announce that my husband Stephen has passed away.” “Stephen illuminated every room he entered. He prioritized family, friends, and the community above everything else, and spreading love and positivity meant everything to him. He was the pillar of our family, an exceptional husband and father, and a source of inspiration for his fans.”
“During this challenging period, we kindly request privacy for our three kids and particularly for me. I am confident that we will remember him every single day. His constructive influence will persist and it would be an understatement to say that he has left a lasting impact,” her statement added.
“Stephen, we adore you, we long for you, and I will forever reserve the final dance for you,” she conveyed a message to her spouse as well.
Boss is best known as a fan-favorite from SYTYCD, as well as for his years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The pair met in 2010 and have three children together.
I loved him with all my heart, and he was my family. TWitch was a beacon of pure light and love. In response to the news, DeGeneres wrote on Instagram, “I’m devastated.” Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia – his beautiful children – please send your support and love to Allison. I will miss him dearly.
He went to study dance performance at Chapman University and Wadley College Community State Union in Southern Alabama. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and earned the nickname “tWitch” as a teenager. He would dance in church and school.
The hip-hop dancer and television personality began his Hollywood journey on the talent competition Star Search, where he achieved second place. Additionally, he became a finalist on MTV’s The Wade Robson Project in 2003.
The professional dancers who were all-stars on the seventh season of the popular Fox competition show, Dance Can You Think You So, in 2010, got together at the end of the competition year. He would go to meet Holker, where he placed as the runner-up once again in 2008.
Earlier this year, the Boss informed People that they had shared a dance at the conclusion celebration of that particular season of So You Think You Can Dance, and they have been in a relationship ever since. “There was no exchange of words, there was no discussion or initial meeting. Quite literally, we danced together and the very next day we were holding hands and we never turned back.”
The couple, Maddox and Zaia, got married in California in 2013. They have three children: a 6-year-old son and 2-year-old twin daughters named Weslie, who is 14 years old.
The Bosses co-hosted Freeform’s unscripted series Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, as well as the holiday special Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Holiday Magic.
Boss has appeared in several modern family series and films, including Step Up and Magic Mike XXL, as well as on the big screen in dancer roles.
From 2017 to 2021, Boss appeared on Ellen’s Game of Games, a derivative of her game show, as an assistant to DeGeneres. In 2020, he assumed the role of a co-executive producer on the show and gained popularity, ultimately making an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a guest DJ in 2014.
Recalling his experience with DeGeneres following the conclusion of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, “You can perceive that [Ellen] is spreading an abundance of affection, an abundance of benevolence into the world, and witnessing that reciprocated, that’s what was truly affecting me in the recent few days [of the show],” he expressed earlier this year on Today when broadened the family and accomplished numerous remarkable feats; had the opportunity to dance with numerous remarkable individuals, “During the course of nine years, I entered into matrimony.
In May of 2022, after 19 years, the pair had a tearful televised final chat, wrapping up the show. While sitting onstage with the boss, the iconic host created a family-like atmosphere and shared the joy of what has happened. There is a sense of joy in knowing that we have been able to help people during the day of dancing, without anyone being drunk. Additionally, a surprise on-air tribute was dedicated to someone who has changed my life and the show. We always say “I love you” and “goodbye” to each other every single day.
Boss, who was a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance” in Season 17, made a comeback to the show after Ellen’s departure. During his initial season on SYTYCD, Boss and DeGeneres performed a dance together. The award-winning reality show had been off the air for almost three years and had gone through some modifications before Boss crossed paths with DeGeneres.