Answer: Some viewers thought British television personality Jamie Laing, seen in the Dancing with the Stars audience, resembled Matt Barr, who played the fake Derek in One Tree Hill. Laing shared the comparison on Instagram and joked about it himself.
A guest, not a contestant
ABC scheduled season 35's “Dedication Night” for Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 8 p.m. Eastern, with a simultaneous Disney+ broadcast. Contestants dedicated their dances to important people. Laing was watching from the crowd, not competing. A viewer reportedly recognized what looked like Peyton Sawyer's stalker from the 2003–2012 teen drama. Someone unfamiliar with Britain's Made in Chelsea could remember that fictional face more readily than Laing's actual identity.
Why Derek was not Derek
In season four, Peyton learns she has a half-brother called Derek. The man who first claims that name is actually Ian Banks, played by Matt Barr. Ian stalks Peyton and threatens her and Brooke; a genuine Derek exists separately. So the comparison neither establishes that Barr attended DWTS nor alleges anything about Laing's real conduct. It is a lookalike joke about a character already using a false identity.
The response is the punchline
Laing shared side-by-side pictures and joked that American viewers thought he was Peyton's stalker, adding that the character was apparently called Derek. He thanked the show. He went to watch dancing and apparently ended up learning the name of a television villain. October 22 reports quoted individual followers saying they could no longer unsee the resemblance. Those comments do not prove a nationwide consensus or a measured viral reach.
Timeline and verification
October 20: ABC broadcast. Afterward: Laing's comparison post. October 22: British reporting. October 23: sources checked. The full broadcast and original Instagram engagement counts were not independently reviewed; broadcast details come from ABC, the incident from reporting, and the character history from series references.
Conclusion
The spectator was Jamie, the actor he resembled was Matt Barr, and Barr's fake Derek was Ian Banks. One crowd shot became a three-name identity puzzle.
References (6)
- ABC, October 14, 2026: October 20 Dedication Night and airtime
- Press Association, October 22, 2026: Jamie Laing's response
- The Independent, October 22, 2026: quoted follower reactions
- The Standard, October 22, 2026: reported viewer post
- One Tree Hill character guide: Ian Banks and Derek
- Les Frères Scott French character guide
