Allison Holker criticized by tWitch's family and 'So You Think You Can Dance' co-stars

Allison Holker has been criticized by Stephen "tWitch" Boss' family and her So You Think You Can Dance co-stars for writing a book about her late husband's personal demons and suicide.


Allison, 36, decided to share personal details about tWitch's life and his shocking death at age 40 in December 2022 -- including a drug addiction he had battled -- in her upcoming memoir titled This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light, which hits shelves on February 4.

The So You Think You Can Dance judge promoted her book with a lengthy People interview published earlier this week in which she had spilled information about tWitch's struggles, and Allison has been facing a lot of backlash ever since.

But tWitch's fans aren't the only people who are displeased with Allison's choice to be such an open book.

"Anyone who knows me, knows I go straight to the source during a conflict and handle my business," Courtney Ann Platt, who appeared on So You Think You Can Dance alongside Allison, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 7.


"But since there's clearly no shame in being so public, I haven't said a word in two years but here I go. This is by far the most tacky, classless, opportunistic act I have ever seen in my entire life."

Courtney, who said she was friends with the couple, specifically criticized how Allison just revealed new facts about Stephen's life that hadn't been mentioned publicly prior to tWitch's 2022 death.

"You're a living, breathing bulldozer. Stick to your own demons. Shame on you Allison, shame on your money hungry team. Let my friend Rest in Peace not your PR," Courtney concluded.

TWitch's brother Dre Rose also suggested that his immediate family is having issues with Allison.

"We have noticed a disturbing lack of communication and inclusion concerning the children's activities and well-being," Dre wrote on Tuesday.


"It's disheartening that their interactions with their grandmother, and the wider family, have been noticeably limited."

Dancer Kelly Gibson also complained in the comments of the jaw-dropping People interview, "This whole thing made me sad. He's gone. Why tear apart this name? This paycheck was not worth disgracing his name."

Allison actually responded to Kelly's comment, writing, "I'll always love you. Just trying to help people feel safe to ask for help and support."

Allison also reposted several messages from people praising her courage to speak out and raise awareness about how people may not be alone in their dark thoughts and emotional struggles via Instagram Stories.

"Sharing this powerful message to remind us all how important it is to have open conversations about mental health," one person wrote.


In her People interview, Allison revealed that weeks after tWitch's death, she found a "cornucopia" of drugs -- including mushrooms, pills and "other substances" she had to look up on her phone -- hidden inside shoeboxes in their closet.

"It was a really triggering moment for me because there were a lot of things I discovered in our closet that I did not know existed," Allison said.

"It was very alarming to me to learn that there was so much happening that I had no clue [about]."

Allison admitted it was "a really scary moment" to learn about TWitch's secret addition.

"But it also helped me process that he was going through so much and he was hiding so much, and there must have been a lot of shame in that," Allison shared.


Allison said she was aware of tWitch's smoking and drinking habits during their nine-year marriage because they had "very honest" communication.

After putting their two children -- Weslie, 16, Maddox, 8, and Zaia, 5 -- to bed at night, Allison said tWitch smoke or drank in their guesthouse.

"That was his alone time. It was his time to recharge, and that was okay," Allison explained.

Allison claimed tWitch's drinking and smoking increased over time and he became more "withdrawn."

But uncovering the hard drugs in her bedroom apparently shocked the former Dancing with the Stars pro.


"He was wrestling with a lot inside himself, and he was trying to self-medicate and cope with all those feelings because he didn't want to put it on anyone because he loved everyone so much," Allison shared of tWitch, who alluded in his journal he'd been sexually abused by a male figure during his childhood.

"He didn't want other people to take on his pain," she added.

Allison said she's being candid and honest about tWitch's demons in an effort to help at least one person going through a similar mental health crisis.

TWitch was found dead in December 2022 in a Los Angeles motel, the Oak Tree Inn in Encino, CA -- which was less than one mile from his house -- from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

"People that have a lot of light, they still have gone through a lot of dark. And that's okay because you can't have one without the other," Allison told People.

TWitch and Allison had met when they were both contestants on Season 7 of So You Think You Can Dance in 2010, and then they got engaged in June 2013.


Allison and tWitch got married at SYTYCD creator and former judge Nigel Lythgoe's vineyard and winery in Paso Robles, CA, in December 2013.

Maddox was then born in March 2016, and Allison later gave birth to Zaia in November 2019.

TWitch rose to fame as a contestant Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance in 2008, when he finished as the runner-up.

Allison and tWitch were also All-Star dancers on Season 7 of So You Think You Can Dance in 2010, when the pair connected romantically.

TWitch returned to So You Think You Can Dance as a member of its judging panel for Season 15, which aired on Fox in 2018, and then again for Season 17, which aired in Summer 2022.

TWitch was also a semifinalist on MTV's The Wade Robson Project in 2003 as well as the runner-up on Star Search.


For her part, Allison competed as a pro partner on Seasons 19, 20, 21, and 23 of Dancing with the Stars. The highest she ever placed was second with Riker Lynch on Season 20.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski