Julianne Hough Received Pushback When She Broke Up With Ryan Seacrest

Heavy/Getty/ABC Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough.

Julianne Hough opened up about her breakup with her longtime boyfriend Ryan Seacrest.

The “Dancing With the Stars” co-host ended her relationship with the TV host and media superstar in 2013. But she has rarely talked about the reason for the split, or the fact that she was the one who initiated it.

In an August 2024 interview on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, the 36-year-old dancer said she wasn’t prepared to be thrust into Seacrest’s world when they first started dating in 2010. At the time, Seacrest, who is 13 years Hough’s senior, was well-established in his career as a media mogul and host of “American Idol.”  Hough was focused on her career as a country music singer.

“I remember when I decided to break things off, I had a lot of these Brentwood moms and producers in that world that were like, ‘What are you doing?’” Hough told Shepard. “And I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ They’re like, ‘Your life is completely set up.’ And I was, like, ‘But I didn’t build it.’ … I need to feel the pride of doing it.’”

In 2013, People magazine reported that Hough and Seacrest decided to “take a break” from their relationship. A source at the time said “busy work schedules” proved to be too challenging for the couple of three years.

Julianne Hough Had Trouble Dealing With Seacrest’s Immense Fame

Getty Julianne Hough and Ryan Seacrest arrive at LA’s Promise 2011 Gala Honoring Ryan Seacrest at the Kodak Theatre on September 27, 2011 in Hollywood, California.

When she was dating Seacrest, Hough told Taste of Country their similarities attracted them to one another. “We both like that perfection in ourselves, and we want to make our relationship like that,” she said in 2012.

But In the interview with Shepard, Hough admitted that when she was with Seacrest she was “just flying” and “experiencing things that [she] didn’t even know existed.” She also worried that people thought she was “using” him to further her career.

“I had this insecurity that I was like, I don’t ever want anybody to think that I’m with him for this reason. And so, I then started playing smaller. I know that that was his experience in past situations and stuff, and so I again overcompensated,” she shared.

According to E! News, Hough previously talked about her “very high profile” relationship during an Instagram Live in 2020. “I was on private planes and yachts and living in a very, very well-off house and my life was pretty different from where I grew up,” she said. “I wanted to create that for myself, because I kind of felt like I didn’t deserve it.”

Julianne Hough Sat Down For an Interview With Her Ex Ryan Seacrest 11 Years After Their Split

On August 12, Hough also paid a visit to her ex’s podcast on “On Air With Ryan Seacrest” as she promoted her upcoming novel, “Everything We Never Knew.”

While reminiscing about their past romance, Seacrest noted that Hough never got him into the ballroom. “We never danced,” he said, although Hough recalled a dance floor moment at a holiday party.

Seacrest’s podcast co-hosts Sisanie and Tanya Rad also wanted to know if Seacrest ever snuggled with Hough, as he told them he’s “not cuddler at night.”

“I don’t really remember,” Hough said, to which Seacrest replied, “I don’t either.”

READ NEXT: DWTS Alum Compares Spouse to Kelly Ripa’s Husband Mark Consuelos