Julianne Hough Reacts To Ex Brooks Laich’s Engagement

Julianne Hough has extended her congratulations to her ex-husband, Brooks Laich, following the announcement of his engagement to Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir.

Laich, a former Los Angeles Kings player, and Hough, a “Dancing with the Stars” co-host, tied the knot in June 2017. However, by December 2019, rumors of trouble in their relationship began to circulate after Hough was spotted without her wedding ring. In January 2020, it was confirmed that the couple was “having problems.”

Brooks Laich and Katrín Tanja Davíðsdótti’s romance first made headlines in summer 2021, just over a year after Laich and Julianne Hough publicly announced their separation in May 2020 following nearly three years of marriage.

Laich and Davíðsdóttir revealed their happy news in a joint Instagram post on December 27, sharing that they got engaged on December 16. The heartfelt gallery featured four stunning photos of the couple embracing, their joy evident as Laich dipped Davíðsdóttir in a playful and romantic pose.

“Forever feels just right with you,” the couple captioned the social media post.

Within 30 minutes of Laich and Davíðsdóttir sharing their engagement announcement on Instagram, Julianne Hough took a moment to offer her warm wishes to the happy couple. “Congratulations [ring emoji] I’m so happy for you both as you step into this beautiful new chapter together,” she wrote. “Wishing you both a lifetime of love, laughter, and endless adventures! [red heart emoji].”

Despite their past, Hough’s supportive message underscores a sense of mutual respect and closure between the former spouses as Laich embarks on this new chapter with Davíðsdóttir.

After their split, Hough and Laich have managed to maintain a sense of mutual respect and support, even as they’ve moved on with their lives.

Shortly after the couple’s initial separation, an insider revealed to Us Weekly that Derek “did not have any animosity” toward Laich. The source added, “He saw that they were figuring out themselves as individuals and that they weren’t a match as a couple, but that doesn’t take away their love for Brooks as a person.”

That bond was evident when Laich served as a groomsman in Derek’s wedding party in August 2023. Additionally, Hayley Erbert, Derek’s wife, expressed her joy over Laich’s engagement to Davíðsdóttir, commenting on their Instagram announcement: “So happy for you two [white heart emoji].”

In an interview with Women’s Health, Hough opened up about her sexuality and shared details of a candid conversation she had with her then-husband, Laich.

“I (told him), ‘You know I’m not straight, right?’ And he was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’ I was like, ‘I’m not. But I choose to be with you,’” she said at the time. “I think there’s a safety with my husband now that I’m unpacking all of this, and there’s no fear of voicing things that I’ve been afraid to admit or that I’ve had shame or guilt about because of what I’ve been told or how I was raised.”

During her appearance on the “Jamie Kern Lima” podcast, Hough reflected on her journey of self-discovery regarding her sexuality. The former “Dancing with the Stars” professional-turned-host shared that, at first, she “didn’t know what [she’s] attracted to” but ultimately chose to remain committed to her then-husband, Laich.

“Coming out is one of the most vulnerable and empowering things you can do. For me, it’s not about being straight, gay, or queer; it’s more about learning what love is, and I love people,” she said, per Us Weekly. “That is the freedom of the love that I was starting to experience in seeing people because I was able to take off a level of protection instead of being so internalized.”

Hough added, “So, I was starting to see people and seeing their hearts and seeing their beauty and their essence. I was like, ‘Wow, I love people and I don’t know if it’s a sexual attraction or this attraction, but I’m just seeing people.’ That was, like, such a beautiful revelation.”