EXCLUSIVE: Derek Hough Talks Julianne Hough's DWTS Exit: 'It's Time for Her to Go'

Julianne Hough won’t be returning to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom anytime soon. But according to her younger brother, Derek Hough, that’s just fine.

“I think she did three great
seasons, and it's time for her to go,” Derek told ET's Katie Krause of his sister’s judging stint
at the Vanity Fair and the FIAT Brand’s Young Hollywood celebration on Tuesday.
“She's got great things on the horizon, and she's doing great things. Len
[Goodman]'s coming back, and so, you know, I think four judges feels a little
redundant anyways, so I think it's the right thing to do.”

WATCH: Julianne Hough Opens Up About ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Engagements

The Grease: Live star was similarly complimentary of her brother when ET caught up with her in January.

“Derek is so talented, he's got so many things cooking right now with everything going on," she told ET at the time. "He's just so, so driven by what he's doing and he's got so many things coming up that I think people are going to be excited about."

So ET asked the Emmy-winning choreographer if he would be interested in a role in NBC’s upcoming Hairspray Live!

MORE: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Shakeup: Julianne Hough Is Out as a Judge

“Who knows!” Derek said, adding of the casting, “I haven’t even heard of that, who knows.”

Julianne announced her DWTS exit earlier this month after her buzzed-about role in Grease: Live as Sandy.

"I will miss being on the panel for Season 22, but have a lot of exciting stuff coming that I look forward to sharing," Hough told ET in a statement. "The pro dancers, producers and crew at DWTS will always be my family."