Did Julianne Hough just shut down a major rumor? ‘DWTS’ host reveals what she won't do again in Season 34

From being a professional dancer to a judge and then finally settling on hosting, Julianne Hough's journey on 'Dancing with the Stars' has evolved significantly over time. As Hough stepped into hosting duties in 2023, fans are eagerly waiting for Hough's return as a pro dancer. With season 34 scheduled to air in the fall of 2025, fans are wondering if Hough will make a comeback as a pro dancer or not

Turns out, Hough isn't looking to juggle double duty on 'Dancing with the Stars'. In an April 2025 interview with TV Insider, she admitted, "I don't know how I could do both," when asked about the possibility of hosting and competing simultaneously. "Maybe that just means more dance [performances] for me," she added, leaving room for appearances without full-on competition.

Despite stepping back from the idea of multitasking, Hough made it clear that she’s enjoyed hosting with co-host Alfonso Ribeiro, saying, "I will say I love working with [co-host] Alfonso [Ribeiro]. 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." Notably, both Hough and Ribeiro have strong roots in the show. After winning Seasons 4 and 5, Hough served as a pro and later a judge before returning as a host in Season 32. Whereas, Ribeiro won Season 19 and became the co-host in Season 31.

In the same conversation, Hough also talked about major renovation plans aimed at expanding 'Dancing with the Stars' studio space, which indicates that the show may soon have to relocate from its longtime home at Television City in Los Angeles. Hough acknowledged the potential change, saying, "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." She also stressed on show's lasting spirit as she said, "Every time we see each other and we’re all together, it’s a family."

Talking about 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 34, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin is gearing up to compete on 'Dancing with the Stars', following in the footsteps of his sister Bindi Irwin, who won the Mirrorball Trophy in season 21 alongside Derek Hough, as per Variety. Notably, 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 33 saw impressive success, drawing younger viewers and earning the show its best adults 18-34 ratings in four years. The season finale brought in the highest total viewership in over three years, with 7.95 million viewers, and set new voting records, with 32 million votes cast. 

The son of late Steve Irwin, Robert, also grabbed headlines with a bold campaign for the Australian underwear brand Bonds. In a chat with People, Robert shared about his approach to new challenges, saying, "I'm at this point in my life where I'm trying to do as many different and random exciting things, and if it's something that makes me a little bit nervous, that I've never done before and it’s a bit of an adrenaline rush? That's what I want to be doing."