Julianne Hough reunited with her ex-boyfriend Ryan Seacrest on Friday – nine years after their split.
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The actress and her brother Derek Hough were guests on Ryan's On-Air with Ryan Seacrest show, and he wasted no time addressing the elephant in the room. Ryan admitted that his co-hosts feared the interview would be uncomfortable and "awkward", but the former couple quickly put their minds at ease.
WATCH: Julianne Hough and Ryan Seacrest address break-up during 'awkward' interview
"Sisanie and Tanya [Rad} have been asking me if this is awkward for me and I said, 'Not at all because we've been friends,'" Ryan said after introducing the siblings, who were on to discuss their upcoming special Step Into… The Movies with Derek and Julianne Hough.
Derek jumped in to joke that he was the only person feeling "awkward", before Julianne replied: "We're friends, we chat." She also credited their "respect and love" for each other for why they could stay friends.
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Ryan echoed the sentiment, joking that his co-hosts didn't understand how they could be friendly exes. "They don’t understand the concept that one can remain friends after a breakup," he said. "There is nothing uncomfortable about it, because we remain friends for years, and still are."
© Photo: Getty ImagesJulianne and Ryan dated for three years
Fans went wild for the reunion, with one commenting on a clip shared online: "Love this!! Haha! Come on @ryanseacrest spill the tea!!!" A second said: "This was HILARIOUS!" A third added: "Great interview!"
Others hoped that the duo will rekindle their romance – despite Ryan being in a relationship with model Aubrey Paige – with one commenting: "We got Bennifer back so there's hope for all… Just saying."
Ryan's most high-profile relationship was with Julianne. The former couple started dating in 2010 but split three years later.
© Photo: Getty ImagesJulianne and Ryan have remained on friendly terms since their split
Following the demise of their romance, Julianne revealed to Redbook in 2014: "Every relationship, there was nothing wrong or bad, but there was nothing right.
"I had one foot out because I didn’t want to get hurt. And I didn’t say what was on my mind because I didn’t want to ruffle any feathers."
She added: "I needed to be perfect. But now I’m not holding anything back, because I’d rather get my heart broken than never know what it is to be completely, madly in love. If I had been this open in my last relationship, who knows?"
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