It’s evident that Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough are a Hollywood power couple, but when they first got together in the spring of 2010, no one was more surprised by their pairing than TV host Samantha Harris.
At the Feb. 5 Hollywood premiere of Hough’s new film, Safe Haven, Harris revealed that Seacrest had his eye on the multitalented star long before they got together. “I remember back when I worked with Ryan at E! News, he asked me to set him up with Julianne. I did not set them up, but he asked me to!” Harris, 39, told Us Weekly. “I said, ‘She’s too young for you, stay away!'”
According to Harris, who co-hosted Dancing With the Stars for seven seasons (including five with pro dancer Hough), Seacrest first took notice of the blonde star when she first competed during season 4 in 2007.
“I said, ‘No, no, no. She’s very young’. She was maybe 18 or 19 at the time and he’s my age so I said, ‘That’s not happening!’ But I’m excited to see how well they’ve done together,” Harris continued. “He’s made her very happy and I think she’s made him very happy.”
Harris added, “I realize what a wonderful boyfriend he’s been to her and if that’s what makes them happy, I wish them the best.”
American Idol‘s Seacrest, 38, recently gushed about the Footloose star, 24, during an appearance on Chelsea Lately. “She’s so beautiful,” he raved. “She is phenomenal. She’s the best part of every day.” Asked when he plans to propose to Hough, Seacrest said coyly, “She’ll be the first one to know.”