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Julianne Hough slammed for awkward hosting skills — ‘DWTS’ fans say it’s time to bring back a former favorite

‘DWTS’ fans think Julianne Hough was better off as a judge, and honestly, we get what they mean

Julianne Hough, former pro and judge and now co-host on 'DWTS', has a long association with the reality TV show. Even with so many years of experience with the show under her belt, Hough is not immune to criticism. After replacing Tyra Banks in Season 32, Julianne Hough faced criticism for her hosting abilities. On a Reddit Thread titled, 'What do y'all think about Julianne as a host??' A Redditor wrote, "I don’t care for her. She’s bad at improv, and she is constantly screaming. Someone at some point told her that louder = excited, and she believed it. She’s not Tyra Banks, but that doesn’t mean she’s good."

Criticizing Hough's performance as a host on season 33, a viewer said, "Honestly, I preferred her as a judge. I say keep Alfonso, but bring back Erin Andrews instead of Julianne." Comparing Hough to Alfonso Ribeiro, another viewer wrote, "I feel like her and Alfonso should switch roles bc she never knows what questions to ask them lol." Echoing the same sentiment, a netizen said, "Alfonso SLAYSSSSS but Julianne always says something awkward."

There was an overwhelming number of people who also believed that Ribeiro and Hough should switch places on 'Dancing With the Stars'. Instead of having Hough conduct the interview of the couples in the skybox, fans suggest she be the co-host on the dance floor instead. In the same Reddit thread, a user shared, "I feel like her and Alfonso should switch roles bc she never knows what questions to ask them lol." Another user agreed, stating, "I kinda think that she and Alfonso should switch spots though. He's better at staying calm under pressure. When a celeb says something awkward around Jules, she has trouble recovering."

While fans have plenty to say, Kristyn Burtt, a veteran in the field of hosting reality TV, has a piece of advice for Hough as she continues to navigate this role in season 34. According to The Things, during an interview with Cheryl Burke's podcast 'Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans,' in October 2024, Brutt said, "You know what I would do with Julianne? I would love to get my hands on her and just do like a quick coaching lesson on what she needs to do, just feel like a little bit more confident in that." She also believed that the young hostess to ask contestants original questions, which she thinks are relevant, and not to ask only what the producers ask, "Take the earpiece out, because I think she's got it. I just think that it's feeling grounded and rooted and confident in what she needs to do."

Despite the criticism faced by Hough, Brutt also stood in her defence and said, "I think what people don't understand is live TV is so hard and the interviewing part is really hard."  She added, "And interviewing is not necessarily asking questions. It's actually like listening. So you have to have your first question going. And maybe she's thinking, 'I've got a better question.' But it is you're juggling like, three things at once while you're on live TV, trying to maintain your time."