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It's Official: Julianne Hough Returning as Permanent DWTS Judge

"Let's Be Cops" Los Angeles Premiere Arrivals

Credit: Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

So much for that acting career! Julianne Hough is officially returning to the ballroom, but when we see her on Dancing With the Stars this season, it’ll be as a judge!

The 26-year-old will join veteran judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba. She competed on the show for five seasons (winning two Mirror Ball trophies in the process), and has served as a guest judge twice since then.

Julianne brewed up some controversy during her two guest appearances. First, she criticized Mark Ballas and his partner Christina Milian during season 17, and during season 18, she got into a tiff with Maksim Chmerkovskiy, telling him he looked like he’d “checked out” during a week when the pros switched partners.

Still, the Footloose star seems thrilled to be making her return. “I’m so excited to be back with my Dancing With the Stars family again on a regular basis,” she said in a statement. “I’ve always aspired to be an all-around entertainer, whether I’m acting, dancing or singing, and I’m thrilled for this opportunity that will allow me to continue all of those pursuits. Derek [Hough] and I just finished our Move Live on Tour, which reminded me how much I missed the interaction with the dance fans that have been so supportive of me in my career. I am warming up the paddles and the sass, and I’m ready to have fun in this new role.

MORE LINKS

Julianne Hough Disses Ryan Seacrest: “There Was Nothing Right”

Julianne Hough on New Boyfriend: “He’s a Wonderful Guy”

Brooks Laich Opens Up About Julianne Hough Romance

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