Julianne Hough is returning to “Dancing with the Stars” as a co-host, and she says it’s the perfect time for her to rejoin the show.
“‘Dancing with the Stars’ is my family,” Hough told Variety. “It’s where I feel the most myself and the most at home. The door was never, ever closed. We’ve always talked about coming back and in some sort of capacity.”
Hough first appeared on “DWTS” as a professional dancer in 2007. She won back-to-back seasons and exited in 2009. She came back in 2014 as a judge, before leaving again in 2017.
Now, she’s returning as a co-host alongside Alfonso Ribeiro. She says she’s excited to use her unique perspective as a former dancer and judge to help the contestants.
“I just have this unique perspective to be able to relate and nurture and care for the celebrities and the couples competing because I’ve not only experienced what they’ve experienced, but I’ve also been a judge,” she said. “I know what people are looking for and how I can support and make them feel the most comfortable.”
Hough also said that the COVID-19 pandemic made her realize how important “Dancing with the Stars” is to her.
“That time of life gave people so much perspective [to realize] the things that matter to you the most and where you want to put your energy and focus your time,” she said. “There’s been so much hustle over the last 17 years of my career, and I’m so grateful for all of it and I’ve tried so many different things.”
“At the end of the day, personally, I am my happiest self when I’m surrounded by my family. This show is family.”
Hough and Ribeiro are both excited to get started on Season 32 of “Dancing with the Stars.” They say it’s going to be a special season, and they can’t wait to share it with viewers.
“It feels kind of nostalgic, like, the band is back together,” Hough said. “It feels like were in the older seasons of ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ with the wisdom and the knowledge of all the years of experience, but with the sense of nostalgia and home from the earlier seasons.”
“Dancing with the Stars” will air this fall on ABC and Disney+ and stream the following day on Hulu.
