Julianne Hough Was Once “Very in Love” With Ryan Seacrest — Inside Their Relationship Timeline

When it comes to dating, the names you’ve most recently heard TV and radio host Ryan Seacrest connected to are model Aubrey Paige and entrepreneur Camille Orders. But Ryan and Aubrey split in April 2024. And as for Camille, neither ever confirmed a romance, they were simply seen together in mid-2025, which sparked speculation.

But unbeknownst to most people, Ryan actually dated Julianne Hough at one point. Yes, really! But wait, wasn’t she married to hockey player Brooks Laich from 2017 to 2022? She was, so when did she and Ryan find time to mingle? Well, here’s a breakdown of their relationship timeline that answers all of your questions.

Julianne Hough and Ryan Seacrest started dating sometime in 2010, per Taste of Country, and both appeared to be very into each other. In fact, she even said she was “in love” with Ryan at one point. But make no mistake, Julianne has been open about the fact that there was physical attraction to Ryan even before they officially became an item.

In a July 2012 interview with Covino & Rich, she admitted that when she had appeared on his radio show before dating, there was an attraction, but “it just wasn’t the right time.” She even said, “People for four years were trying to hook us up, and it just never worked.”

Before they officially started dating, Julianne had even gone on Ryan’s radio show with her then-boyfriend, Chuck Wicks, whom she met on Dancing With the Stars. The entire time, Ryan was asking her direct questions, asking her about dating older guys and having kids. In fact, it was almost as if he was flirting with her right in front of Chuck. And maybe he was, because in 2010, Ryan finally got his shot with Julianna.

By September 2012, Julianne was clearly enjoying her relationship with Ryan. In her InStyle Makeover interview, per USA Today, in which she graced the cover, she revealed the two were going strong. She shared that when they first met, she was “reluctant because he is such an influential guy, and what if it didn’t work out?”

She then went on to admit, “I'm very in love, and it feels great. I feel like I'm more comfortable in my own skin. You see me instead of all the makeup and hair.” She even revealed that Ryan had made her feel so relaxed that she gained weight. “I'm 20 pounds heavier than I was when we started dating. And now we always have great wine, and I can tell the difference. So I told him, 'You ruined my life because I can't go to a friend's house and drink cheap wine anymore.'”

While things seemed to be working in their favor, Ryan and Julianne eventually called it quits two years into dating, around March 2013. Us Weekly reported at the time that they broke up because of Ryan’s demanding work schedule. “Dude works all the time. He never sleeps,” a source told the outlet.

They added, “It's a lifestyle she couldn't handle anymore. Work always, always came first [for Ryan]. She wants a more low-key life.” While Julianne and Ryan didn’t work out, she eventually met Brooks at the end of 2013, just a few months after her split from Ryan. They went on to marry and remained together until 2020, though it wasn’t until 2022 that they finalized their divorce.