Julianne Hough Spending ‘A Lot Of Time’ With Ben Barnes, Following Split

Gettyimages | Rodin Eckenroth

After months of speculation, Julianne Hough, 31, announced her separation from Brooks Laich, 37, in May.

The couple, who chose to quarantine separately, ended their relationship after three years of marriage.

“We have lovingly and carefully taken the time we have needed to arrive at our decision to separate,” they 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.”

Julianne Hough/Instagram

Since news broke, there's been a lot of speculation on why they chose to split. A source recently toldUs Weekly, “Her [Julianne] actions are what caused her divorce with Brooks.”

“Brooks did not want a divorce, but he felt pushed toward it because of how Julianne was behaving. But Brooks is not the one who is bummed now,” the source continued.

In April, Hough was spotted with British actor, Ben Barnes. “She told Brooks it was nothing, but it’s not,” an insider told the outlet.

Julianne Hough/Instagram

The “Dancing with the Stars” alum has reportedly been relying on Barnes to get through this difficult time.

“She had been spending a lot of time with Ben Barnes and has been leaning on him,” a source revealed.

On June 23, Laich was spotted back in California spending his 37th birthday with Hough’s brother, Derek Hough, his girlfriend, Hayley Erbert, and a few other friends.

The group celebrated the special day with a sweaty workout. Hough shared a photo from the day on his Instagram story with the caption:

“Brooks Birthday Blast Workout.”

Julianne Hough/Instagram

Hough and Laich first met in 2013 and started dating shortly after. In August 2015, Hough announced her engagement on Instagram with the caption:

“We are overwhelmed with joy and excitement to share with you our recent engagement! #fiancé #love.”

They tied the knot in 2017. Two years later, the couple opened up on their fertility problems and Hough’s struggle with PCOS. The dancer was reportedly going through IVF so they could have children in the future.

That same year, Hough revealed to her husband she wasn’t “straight.”

Julianne Hough/Instagram

“I [told Brooks], ‘You know I’m not straight, right?’ And he was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’” she revealed to Women’s Health in 2019. “I was like, ‘I’m not. But I choose to be with you.’”

“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,” Hough continued.

She added, “The more I dropped into my most authentic self, the more attracted he was to me. Now we have a more intimate relationship."

However, in January 2020, there were rumors the couple was having marriage problems.

Four months later, they announced their split.