It was the kind of unscripted TV moment that makes viewers lean in and maybe squirm a little. During a recent episode of ‘Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,’ Derek Hough and host Ryan Seacrest shared an awkward interaction when the topic of Hough’s sister, Julianne Hough, who Seacrest famously dated, unexpectedly came up. Hough, along with fellow ‘Dancing With the Stars’ judge Bruno Tonioli and pro dancer Jenna Johnson, appeared on the ABC game show to compete for charity. But a seemingly harmless moment of nostalgia quickly turned into one of the night’s most talked-about exchanges.
The incident happened after Hough buzzed in and correctly solved a $2,000 toss-up puzzle with the phrase “Footloose and Fancy-Free.” The solve led to a casual conversation about the classic musical. But it also opened the door to a piece of shared history that both stars might have preferred to leave untouched. “You were in ‘Footloose’ back in the day, weren’t you?” Seacrest asked, referring to Hough’s time starring in the stage adaptation. “I was! I starred in ‘Footloose’ in the West End for like, 400 shows,” Hough replied. “And then my sister ended up being in the remake of the film.”
Seacrest, smiling, responded with a loaded, “Yes, I remember,” as quoted by Daily Express US. Realizing the unspoken subtext, Hough started to share a “fun fact” but quickly stopped himself mid-sentence. “I know you remember, Ryan!” he quipped, acknowledging the elephant in the room. For a few seconds, the tension was visible. Seacrest turned toward the camera with a knowing grin, while Hough attempted to steer the conversation back to safer ground. “Okayyy… but she crushed it. She did great,” Hough said, praising his sister’s performance in the 2011 remake of ‘Footloose.’ Seacrest smoothly wrapped up the moment, replying, “She did great, you’re doing great,” before the show moved on.
But the brief exchange was enough to set social media buzzing, with many viewers commenting on how palpable the awkwardness was. Seacrest and Julianne Hough dated from 2010 to 2013, during the height of both of their careers. Their split made headlines at the time, with both parties remaining relatively private about the details. More than a decade later, Julianne reflected on the relationship during an appearance on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard in 2024. She admitted that she had worried people would assume she was using Seacrest’s fame to advance her career. Ultimately, Julianne decided to end the relationship and focus on building her own name in Hollywood.