Dancing with the Stars fans that are waiting impatiently for the announcement of the new cast (coming on September 4 to ABC’s Good Morning America), here is a little something to keep you happy for the moment. Julianne Hough is returning to the ballroom; as a judge! No, the former dance pro and multiple season champ will not be returning to the dance floor. She’s going to join Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman behind the judges table.
The 26-year-old dance pro is going to be a permanent judge on the show, and she’s looking forward to the challenge. It might seem like a bit of a conflict of interest, however, to some. Hough’s brother, Derek Hough, is a pro dancer on the show, and there are critics that feel Julianne might not be able to stay impartial when it comes to her brother’s skills on the dance floor.
“Derek has been known to be very good with his partnerships. But it’s not about my brother, nor is it about Cheryl or Mark. It’s about the partnership and the celebrity who is dancing,” she says of judging her brothers moves during the upcoming season of the hit reality show.
“After being on tour with my brother Derek, it felt like time to move on. I felt like I really reconnected with fans, and the people have supported me since day one. They have followed me from Dancing with the Stars to my other aspirations. It just feels like the perfect time to reconnect and be a part of where it all began, with my family,” she says of her decision to return to the ballroom as a judge. Hough has a lot to say about her new role as judge, but she didn’t give one hint about who might be making their dancing debut next month when the show airs.
(Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
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