JoJo Siwa has officially acknowledged her blossoming romance with Chris Hughes, following Hughes' posting of an intimate selfie of the pair nestled in bed together. In an interview with The Guardian, published on June 2, Monday, the 22-year-old dancer and singer revealed, "Our bond has transcended platonic realms, evolving into something exquisite and deeply connecting. I am completely enraptured by him, and he feels the same way."
When queried about speculations that her romance with the 32-year-old Hughes was merely a publicity stunt, Siwa responded emphatically, "It's evident that you haven't witnessed our dynamic firsthand. I can't speak for him, but personally, my joy is palpable. My happiness beams from within." She further added, "Just yesterday, I was rubbing my cheeks, realizing I'd never felt sore from smiling so much before," recalling her elation.
Siwa and Hughes first crossed paths during their stint on the U.K. reality show Celebrity Big Brother in April, where they forged an unbreakable bond within the Big Brother house. Rumors of a romantic entanglement between them gained traction after Siwa parted ways with her then-partner, Kath Ebbs, on the night of the Celebrity Big Brother finale. At that time, Siwa had insisted that her relationship with Hughes, who had previously dated Little Mix's Jesy Nelson, was strictly platonic.
However, amidst mounting speculations, Hughes shared a snap on Snapchat on June 1, Sunday, capturing the couple in bed together. In the picture, Siwa, with a tender smile and eyes closed, rested her head on Hughes' chest, her hand draped across him, while he, shirtless, wrapped an arm around her head, planting a kiss on her forehead. Captioning the post, Hughes wrote, "Sleeepinnn beauty."
Earlier in May, in an exclusive cover story for Us Weekly, Siwa had clarified that her friendship with Hughes had "nothing to do with my breakup" with Ebbs. She stated, "We still speak regularly, it's just natural. Now that we're out of the house, we cherish our time together. We're content and have each other's company. It's a unique and special bond."
As Siwa celebrated her birthday later that month, Hughes was a prominent figure in her Instagram carousel, showcasing cozy moments between them, including a photo of him cradling her leg. Captioning her post, Siwa wrote, "This year's birthday week was more magical than anything. Filled with surprises, family time, performances, relaxation, laughter, love, smiles, and meaningful tears. Absolutely breathtaking, a week I'll cherish forever."
