Kaitlyn Bristowe had her sights set on hosting Dancing With the Stars after winning the mirrorball trophy.
“I’m telling you, that was my dream job when I knew that Tyra [Banks] was not going to be there anymore,” Bristowe, 39, revealed on the Tuesday, August 20, episode of the “Off the Vine” podcast.
Despite her interest in the role, Bristowe was not chosen as cohost following Banks’ departure in 2023.
Instead, Julianne Hough was selected for the role ahead of season 32 of the reality dancing competition series. Hough is confirmed to cohost the upcoming season 34 alongside Alfonso Ribeiro.
“When they picked you, I go, ‘Now that makes sense,’” Bristowe told Hough, 36, who was a guest on the podcast. “I was like, ‘That, I can handle that.’”
Bristowe admitted that she had been in touch with co-executive producer Deena Katz and ABC exec Rob Mills. “I was like, ‘Hey, hey!’ And then I saw you get it, and I was like … yes,” Bristowe said.
Praising Hough for her “perfect” chemistry with Ribeiro, Bristowe received a heartfelt response from Hough. “Thank you for saying that,” Hough replied.
“I totally love that you’re saying that because there’s been so many things that I’ve auditioned for and I’ve been so heartbroken that I didn’t get it. And then I’m like, ‘Oh, but that makes sense. I’m happy for them.’
Sometimes, though, I’m like, ‘That does not make sense and I’m still heartbroken. This is not fair. Totally should’ve got that.’”
Hough had a long history with Dancing With the Stars before being named official cohost. She first appeared as a professional dancer in season 4 in 2007, winning two mirrorball trophies with Apolo Anton Ohno and Hélio Castroneves during her time on the show.
Hough later transitioned to a judging role intermittently between 2014 and 2021.
Bristowe won the mirrorball trophy with pro dancer Artem Chigvintsev during season 29 of the series in November 2020 and has been open about her experience since then.
“There’s something so magical about watching it. I watched it with my mom from the first season it was on to now,” Bristowe told Us Weekly in October 2022.
“And, you know, knowing what that process is like and the hard work that these dancers put in every day and how hard it is on your body and your mind, I love supporting the show and I actually miss it so much that I get this overwhelming feeling of joy that I, like, cry on every dance and laugh and I’m like, ‘Oh, I miss it.’”
Bristowe described the DWTS ballroom as “such a family” and reflected on her experience.
“The No. 1 thing I learned about myself in that process was how resilient I was. I was like, ‘My body is meant to do some crazy things. … If I can do Dancing with the Stars, I can have a baby. I can do anything.’”
Though Bristowe didn’t get the chance to host DWTS, she did accept a different role, which she has been keeping secret.
“Remember when I asked you guys to put it out into the universe that I’d get the thing I auditioned for?” Bristowe said on Instagram in July. “I got it. Thank you.” Dancing With the Stars premieres on ABC Tuesday, September 17.