We all saw Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich’s breakup coming, but that doesn’t mean that it hurts any less for fans. People confirmed on Friday, May 29, that the former Dancing With the Stars judge and the professional hockey player are divorcing after three years of marriage.
In a statement to People, the couple expressed how much they continue to care for each other even though their marriage is ending. “We have lovingly and carefully taken the time we have needed to arrive at our decision to separate,” Brooks and Julianne said in a joint statement. “We share an abundance of love and respect for one another and will continue to lead with our hearts from that place. We kindly request your compassion and respect for our privacy moving forward.”
Brooks and Julianne married in the summer of 2017 after four years of dating. Fans wondered if the couple had split in January after the professional dancer was photographed without her wedding ring. The pair had also stopped posting as many photos with each other on Instagram. In May, a source told E! News that, while the couple wasn’t social distancing together, they were still in contact.
“They continue to spend time apart and are doing their own thing,” the insider said. “They are still in contact and have not committed to any future decisions. They are happy doing it this way and will see what happens. Its working for them for now. They have so much love for one another and just want to make sure the other one is at their best and the happiest they can be. They are staying present and in the moment. This is the way it looks for right now.”
The couple’s breakup comes after Brooks told E! News in the summer of 2019 that he and his then-wife had the “best fucking relationship,” despite their struggles. “I thought I had my life figured out and then Julianne walked into my life and completely changed it and I’m so grateful for that,” he said at the time. “We say this: We want to have the best fucking relationship ever. That’s what we say.”
He continued, “That being said, we need to work at that and by work, I mean commit. We feel very fortunate with the strength of our relationship and the present love we have in our life and we want that for everybody. We’re starting to open up about it more.”