Hough feeling bad about Cheryl's illness

Derek Hough feels “dreadful” about Cheryl Cole’s battle with malaria.

The ‘Dancing with the Stars’ dancer – who is rumoured to be dating the ‘Fight for This Love’ singer – whisked Cheryl away on a romantic break to Tanzania, only for her to develop the potentially fatal disease upon her return.

His stepfather Aaron Nelson told The Sun newspaper: “Derek feels guilty. He is very distressed about all of this.

“He feels he has done this to her. He rang his mom in tears. He organised the holiday as something wonderful. For it to end up like this is terrible. He feels dreadful.”

The 25-year-old hunk is believed to have cancelled all engagements to be at Cheryl’s bedside at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London.

The ‘X Factor’ judge has spent five nights in the medical centre battling the disease, which is caused by a mosquito bite.

A source revealed: “She really is very poorly indeed and doctors aren’t taking any chances. She is now in the best place for her with the best experts in the field to look after her.”