Stephen "tWitch" Boss, hip-hop dancer, choreographer, actor, and cohost of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has died at 40.
According to a report from the Los Angeles medical examiner, Boss died on Tuesday at a hotel. The manner of death was suicide, the report added.
Boss had just recently celebrated nine years of marriage with his wife, Allison Holker. In an Instagram post, Boss shared photos from their wedding and wrote, "Happy anniversary, my love."
Holker confirmed his death in a statement sent to BuzzFeed News.
"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," Holker concluded.
Boss and Holker met on So You Think You Can Dance in 2010 and have three children together.
Born in Alabama, Boss studied dance performance at Southern Union State Community College and Chapman University before appearing on MTV's The Wade Robson Project in 2003. In the same year, Boss was a runner-up on the talent show Star Search.
In 2008, Boss competed in So You Think You Can Dance and became a runner-up. He returned to perform in subsequent seasons, and in 2022, he became a judge on the show.
In 2014, Boss was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a guest DJ and then became a permanent fixture on the program. In 2020, he became a co-executive producer for the talk show.
In a tweet posted on Wednesday afternoon, Ellen DeGeneres said that she was "heartbroken" by the news of Boss' passing.
"tWitch was pure love and light," DeGeneres wrote. "He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children - Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia."
Actor Kerry Washington tweeted a photo of Boss and wrote, "the world lost a bright light today. Twitch brought joy and love to people all over the world through music and through dance. My heart is heavy today for his family and all of those who knew and loved him."
Jennifer Lopez posted a tribute to Boss on her Instagram on Wednesday afternoon. "Twitch was such a light and a beautiful soul…💔 Shocked and deeply saddened. My heart breaks for @sir_twitch_alot, his wife, and children 🙏 Sending you love and strength 🤍," she wrote.
Justin Timberlake tweeted: "It’s heartbreaking to hear that someone who brought so much joy to a room was hurting so much behind closed doors. I’ve known Twitch for over 20 years through the dance community - he always lit everything up. You just never know what someone is really going through."
Dancer and singer JoJo Siwa, who served as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance alongside Boss, wrote a heartfelt message on her Instagram account.
"My heart is beyond broken.💔😭 twitch was a best friend and a mentor not just to me but to SO many," Siwa wrote. "I’ll never forget our time getting to work together on SYTYCD, he became such a light in my life. Someone I’ve looked up to since I was born turned one of my best friends. Twitch always had the best advice. We had SO many laughs, smiles, and even cries together. I know you’re in a better place now but man we are all gonna miss the hell outta you. Sending my most love and prayers to His beautiful wife and 3 perfect kids. ❤️ thank you for sharing your gift with the world. I’m “so esssicted” to see you again one day (A inside joke between us that I will never let go of). Forever the worlds dance dad. Love you brother.🙏🏼 RIP the legendary Stephen Twitch Boss❤️"
Jada Pinkett Smith also took to Instagram to say a few words about Boss.
"I woke up this morning to the news that tWitch is gone," Pinkett Smith wrote. "My heart aches for his wife Allison and their children Weslie, Maddox and Zaia. My condolences to all his loved ones that he has left behind. We had a lot of good times on the set of Magic Mike. He was so sweet, kind and generous. So many people suffer in silence. I wish he could have known that he didn’t have to. May his beautiful, shining soul rest in the arms of the Great Supreme and may that same Higher Power heal the shattered hearts of his loved ones.🕊️"
BuzzFeed News has reached out to representatives of Boss, Holker, and the LAPD for additional information.
Dial 988 in the US to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Trevor Project, which provides help and suicide-prevention resources for LGBTQ youth, is 1-866-488-7386. Find other international suicide helplines at Befrienders Worldwide (befrienders.org).