Julianne Hough, 36, put internet rumors about Dancing With The Stars to bed. The DWTS host addressed the reports that she and her season four partner, Apolo Ohno, were a couple.
"I remember being on the show and it was like a whole new universe," Julianne told Owen Thiele on his podcast In Your Dreams. "There's the whole thing where everybody finds love or hooks up on the show."
Julianne was partnered up with the Olympic speed skater during the 2007 season. She and Apolo went on to win the season, which Julianne described as "one of the best times of my life," to her 5.1 million Instagram followers.
© Disney General Entertainment Con"Everybody thought I was hooking up with my partner Apolo," she told Owen. "Never in a million years."
DWTS season 34
The 34th season of the ABC's show will premiere this fall. The full cast has yet to be revealed, but we know that Robert Irwin and Alix Earle will be dancing.
"I danced when I was little until my sophomore year of high school," Alix told Michael Strahan and Lara Spencer on Good Morning America. "I would like to say I have some rhythm, but I've never done ballroom dancing or dancing with a partner before. So, that's gonna be a whole new venture for me."
© Getty ImagesJulianne's dancing history
Julianne danced all her life. She started dancing competitively when she was just nine years old. In 2004, she joined DWTS as a professional dancer. Julianne left the show after season 8, but returned as a judge for seasons 19 through 21.
In 2023, she rejoined DWTS once again as the host for season 32. Julianne hasn't confirmed she will be returning to host, but it's likely she and Alfonso Ribeiro will be back for season 34.
Julianne's heart is still open
© Getty ImagesWhile Julianne never dated her dance partner Apolo, she's had several high profile relationships. In 2008, the dancer dated country music star Chuck Wicks. Soon after their breakup, Julianne dated the American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.
"He's really romantic," she said of Ryan to Ellen DeGeneres on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2010. "He's not even in town and I got in my car and there were flowers everywhere."
Julianne and Ryan dated for three years, but broke up in March 2013. After their relationship ended, she started dating former hockey player Brooks Laich.
"I'm just feeling so happy and blessed every moment of every day," Julianne told PEOPLE in 2015 after the two got engaged. "My favorite thing about being engaged is just a sense of warmth and joy."
© Getty ImagesShe and Brooks married in July 2017, telling PEOPLE she "couldn't stop crying all weekend." But, in May 2020, the two ended their relationship. While they're no longer together, Julianne and Brooks are in a good place. He was even a groomsman in Julianne's brother, Derek Hough's wedding.
"I feel like our relationship and our marriage was exactly right, and the end of it is right too," Julianne said on the Armchair Expert podcast in August 2024.
