Jay McGuiness and his 'Strictly Come Dancing' partner Aliona Vilani are absolutely not anything more than a friends, a BBC spokesperson has insisted for what feels like the millionth time.
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Reports that the duo have been closing behind-the-scenes just won’t go away and, following new claims that they’ve been spending a lot of time together in Jay’s dressing room, a rep from the Beeb has been forced to speak out again.
Jay and Aliona have impressed on the 'Strictly' dancefloor
They tell Closer magazine: “The stories about the dressing room are nonsense as it’s common for everyone to go in and out of each other’s dressing rooms and Jay gets on really well with all the other celebs.”
Their comments are in response to quotes from a source close to the show, who alleged to Closer that Aliona no longer spends time with the other pros, while Jay “hardly hangs out with the other contestants”.
It’s not just the BBC spokespeople who have addressed the rumours, and Jay has also candidly discussed them, admitting that it has been affecting his mood.
“It can become a distraction and it makes me want to disappear after the show,” he said earlier this month. “But at the same time, I feel like I’m in a lovely bubble. As long as Ali’s happy, I’m happy.
“We get on really well, but the show is so successful and I just think people make stuff up. We ignore it.”
Jay’s not the only 2015 contestant who has had to combat rumours that the ‘Strictly’ curse is about to strike, as Georgia May Foote has also spoken out, labelling rumours that she’s cosied up to her pro partner Giovanni Pernice “offensive”.