‘I love our 'DWTS' community’: Julianne Hough ‘devastated’ as she had to cancel her live tour appearances
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: Julianne Hough announced on Friday, February 9, that she will not be able to join the 'Dancing With the Stars' 2024 live tour for her scheduled dates due to a production conflict.
The two-time 'DWTS' winner expressed her love and support for the show and the cast in an Instagram Story post.
Julianne Hough’s heartfelt message to her fans
Hough, 35, shared her statement via the tour’s official Instagram page, saying that she was looking forward to performing live with the 'DWTS' tour cast for select dates, but a change in her shooting schedule prevented her from doing so.
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“I will no longer be able to join the tour for my scheduled dates," Hough wrote.
“I love our 'DWTS' community and I’m devastated to miss seeing you all in person, but I can assure you that this cast is delivering an unforgettable show that you won’t want to miss,” she wrote further.
Julianne Hough’s role in the 'DWTS' 2024 live tour
Hough was supposed to return to the dance floor for a limited number of dates on the new tour which kicked off in Richmond, Virginia, on January 11, hosted by pro Emma Slater, according to Us Weekly.
The tour features a star-studded lineup of 'DWTS' pros and celebrities, including Alan Bersten, Alexis Warr, Artem Chigvinstev, Brandon Armstrong, Britt Stewart, Daniella Karagach, Ezra Sosa, Gleb Savchenko, Rylee Arnold and Pasha Pashkov.
Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy, who are married, also joined the tour for its January and early February dates.
The tour also showcases 'DWTS' season 32 winner Xochitl Gomez and fellow contestants Charity Lawson and Harry Jowsey for some performances.
Hough made her comeback to 'DWTS' season 32 in 2023, co-hosting with Alfonso Ribeiro.
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Julianne Hough’s nostalgia for 'DWTS'
Hough, who is a professional dancer and the sister of 'DWTS' judge Derek Hough, has a long history with the show.
She won the mirrorball trophy twice, with Apolo Anton Ohno in season 4 and Helio Castroneves in season 5. She also served as a judge for seasons 19 to 21 and 23 to 24.
In an interview with Variety in August 2023, Hough raved about her return to 'DWTS', saying that it felt like a reunion with her old friends.
“The friendships that are made here are lifelong. It feels like it’s just gonna be, like, a peek into our friendship and our lives,” she said at the time.
“With this season specifically, we are all so close. We’ve been friends for over 10 years,” she said, adding “It feels kind of nostalgic, like, the band is back together. It feels like we’re 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.”
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Julianne Hough replaced Tyra Banks as the host of 'DWTS'
Hough replaced Tyra Banks as the host of 'DWTS' who praised her as a “perfect choice” for the role.
“The businesswoman in me sees how Julianne is great on multiple levels. She’s a professional dancer. She is the sister of Derek [Hough], a 'DWTS' multi-champion, who is now a stellar judge,” Banks, 50, told Us Weekly in March 2023.
“It’s going to be a family affair in that ballroom which people will love to watch. And she has so much personality and strong opinions backed by expertise. She’s a perfect choice! She’s gonna crush it!,” she added.
