The dancer has apparently been left annoyed by Cheryl's alleged secret meeting with her ex-husband Ashley. The Daily Star claims that Hough is determined to stop her going back to the footballer.
"Derek has said he will happily punch Ashley's lights out if Cheryl asks him to," a friend told the paper. "He's just sick of it all. She's his girlfriend and has been for a while.
"Derek has been nothing but respectful about what Cheryl and Ashley had but enough is enough. She told him that there was nothing going on between her and Ashley and that talk of a reconciliation was utter nonsense."
The source continued: "But Cheryl also added that she feels bad if she ignores Ashley and still has a sense that she should be there for him. Now Derek has had enough of being Mr Nice Guy. He told me, 'I'll fight for Cheryl'.
"Derek's a lot more dominant than you'd imagine," they added. "As he said to me, 'What guy sits back and lets another man put moves on his girlfriend?'. Ashley is the ex now, and this is a new year and a new Derek.
"He was raised a Mormon, so violence isn't Derek's thing and he isn't likely to behave like a thug, but he will stand his ground."
