Julianne Hough Seen With ‘Bachelor Nation’ Star Tanner Courtad

Julianne Hough, who has been thriving as the host of “Dancing with the Stars,” recently found herself in the spotlight for a different reason—her connection to Bachelor Nation star Tanner Courtad.

Courtad gained fame competing for Charity Lawson’s heart on “The Bachelorette” in 2023 before appearing on “Bachelor in Paradise” later that year. His reality TV journey made him a recognizable face among fans of the franchise.

Both single, Julianne Hough and Tanner Courtad was spotted spending time together, raising questions about whether romance might be in the air.

In photos shared by Just Jared “Dancing with the Stars” cohost Hough was spotted enjoying an outing with the Bachelor Nation.

Both Hough and Courtad kept it casual in activewear for the early evening meetup. Hough sported a green puffer jacket paired with black leggings, while Courtad opted for an all-black look featuring a T-shirt and shorts. The sighting has sparked curiosity about their connection, leaving fans wondering if there’s more to their time together than meets the eye.

Courtad is a 30-year-old mortgage lender and fitness instructor from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who gained public recognition as a contestant on Season 20 of The Bachelorette with Charity Lawson. He later appeared on Season 9 of Bachelor in Paradise.

Born on March 10, 1993, Courtad grew up in McDonald, Pennsylvania, attending South Fayette High School, where he played varsity football and basketball. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2015 with a degree in communications.

Professionally, Courtad works as a fix-and-flip lender at Kiavi Inc. and also serves as a fitness instructor. He’s currently developing an app called Future Self, designed to provide simple at-home workout routines.

In a September 2019 interview with Women’s Health, she candidly shared her truth, revealing to then-husband Brooks Laich that she was “not straight.” The two ultimately separated in 2020, finalizing their divorce in 2022.

“I feel like I’m going to end up with a man,” Hough acknowledged, but mentioned that she remains open to the possibility of a different outcome. “I want to be living and vibrating in the pace of my most authentic self for that to be what attracts whoever it is versus I’m gonna put what I think I want and need out there and then literally force-create it.”

Since then, Hough has channeled her energy into her career, where she’s made waves as the host of “DWTS.” She even joked about her single status during a recent episode, performing a cheeky routine to the viral TikTok hit “Man in Finance.”

The playful exchange happened after Amendola and his partner, Witney Carson, performed their freestyle routine dressed as Ken and Barbie. When the duo joined Hough on a large prop bed to receive their scores, the 36-year-old co-host asked, “How is it dancing as Ken?” Amendola cheekily replied, “I think the real question, Julianne, is why are you in my bed?”

While Carson appeared momentarily stunned, Hough didn’t miss a beat, responding with a flirty, “Is that an invitation?” before smoothly redirecting the moment with, “Let’s get your scores!” Her quick wit and ease made for a memorable live TV moment.

Hough recently opened up about her journey of self-discovery during an appearance on the Jamie Kern Lima podcast, where she spoke about coming to terms with her identity and realizing she is “not straight.”

“Coming out is one of the most vulnerable and empowering things you can do,” Hough shared, as reported by Us Weekly. “For me, it’s not about being straight, gay, or queer; it’s more about learning what love is, and I love people.”

The former “Dancing with the Stars” pro, now a cohost of the show, also reflected on the challenges she faced in understanding her attractions. During that period, she chose to remain with her then-husband, Laich, while navigating her self-discovery journey.

“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,” she said on the podcast. “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.”