Siblings Julianne Hough and Derek Hough have been with Dancing With the Stars since Season 4 and Season 5, respectively.
After winning a whole slew of coveted Mirrorball trophies (he has six; she has two), the Houghs redefined their roles on the long-running ABC reality series, which was recently renewed for a 34th season. Derek Hough became a judge on the show in Season 29. Julianne Hough also logged time at the judges’ table, starting in Season 19. She became DWTS‘s co-host in Season 32.
However, both haven’t forgotten their ballroom roots. Last season, Derek performed a dance with longtime pal Mark Ballas (a three-time Mirrorball champion), and Julianne performed a surprise routine with Valentin Chmerkovskiy (also, a three-time Mirrorball champion).
“It was amazing,” Julianne tells TV Insider about her mid-show surprise move from the skybox, where she conducts post-dance interviews, and hitting the dance floor once again. “I came from being on the show as dancer to a judge to a host, [but] I miss being on the dance floor. Last season was just so joyful and fun. I pitched to the producers if there was any way we could do a fake-out [where I’d take off an outer layer and reveal a dance outfit]. They were like, ‘We love this idea!’ I talked to Val. We created the dance. It was fun!”
“I don’t know how I could do both,” Julianne says of hosting and competing. “Maybe that just means more dance [performances for me]. I will say I love working with Alfonso [Ribeiro, co-host]. Not many hosts on TV shows get to host, perform, and interact with the competitors the way we get to. I feel like Alfonso and I are a winning duo.”
DWTS has called Television City, a production facility in the Fairfax area of Los Angeles, home since its inception. There are plans for substantial renovations to take place on the lot so that more studio space can be constructed. That may result in the reality competition series needing to find a new home, temporarily.
“Obviously, anything that feels like a shift can be a loss but if it adds more value and brings more jobs, I’m all for it,” Julianne says. “Every time we see each other and we’re all together, it’s a family.”
“The good news is that we’d be able to figure it out [in advance],” Derek says of the show needing to find new digs. “People at home don’t know where we are [but] it would be different for us. It’d be kind of wild. We’ve been going there for 20 years. We grew from being so young, going through stages of life. It’s been a hub of certainty for us in a world of uncertainty.”
Juggling judging and being a pro would be a conflict and near impossible, if not totally undoable, but Derek, like his sibling, would like to get out on the dance floor more often. Will he? “It depends on if I go on tour or not,” he says. “If I do go on tour, I’m limited to how much I could dance on the show. I think if I could have more time to perform on the show, I’d love to.”
Julianne can be seen next year in the Maggie Gyllenhaal-directed film The Bride!, which is set for release this October. Derek, meanwhile, is continuing to put together a film based on his wife Hayley Erbert Hough’s remarkable recovery from brain surgery.
“The story’s evolving beautifully,” Derek says. “We can’t wait to share it with everyone. It’ll be at the Sundance [Film] Festival early next year.”
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34, TBA, ABC
