Christine McGuinness and Dan Osborne reportedly comforted each other through their marital woes, sources claim.
The model, 37, reportedly called Dan, 33, 'D' in their 'flirty texts' and allegedly met at London’s The Hoxton hotel in March 2023.
Christine and Paddy, 51, separated in 2022 after 11 years of marriage, but continued to live together in their shared home for the sake of their three children.
Dan, however, has continued to work through his marriage breakdown with wife Jacqueline Jossa, 32, after they were thought to have called it quits in March after eight years of marriage.
After news of their close friendship come to light, Christine reportedly said she is 'absolutely adamant nothing sexual happened between them both', with Dan suggesting the messages are 'deep fakes or AI'.
A pal told The Sun: 'Dan and Christine have known each other for years. Their friendship goes as far back as 2019, when Jac was heading Down Under to the I’m A Celeb jungle, when they had a brilliant night out at a fund-raising gala in London.
Christine McGuinness, 37, and Dan Osborne, 33, reportedly comforted each other through their marital woes, sources claim (pictured together at a podcast launch party in 2019)
Dan has continued to work through his marriage breakdown with wife Jacqueline Jossa, 32, after they were thought to have called it quits in March after eight years of marriage
Christine and Paddy, 51, separated in 2022 after 11 years of marriage, but continued to live together in their shared home for the sake of their three children (pictured together in 2019)
'They stayed in touch sporadically and would bump into each other at events and their messages got pretty flirty. Some were seen by mutual friends.
'She would call him ‘D’ in texts and it became an open secret among their circles. There is no suggestion anything sexual happened, but it’s fair to say there was a spark between them.
'She also was 100 per cent single at the time and could chat to anyone she wanted.'
A source close to Christine alleged that Dan 'mainly led the way with texts', which often involved 'platonic stuff about their kids'.
The publication also reported that Dan is 'devoted to Jacqueline and would hate for any suggestion of impropriety'.
MailOnline has contacted Dan and Christine's representatives for comment.
Dan and Jacqueline's relationship has been plagued by accusations of infidelity and in 2018 Dan was linked to Love Island's Gabby Allen after they were spotted getting close on a yacht in Marbella.
Previously, The Sun claimed that Dan sent 'flirty messages' to his former Celebrity Big Brother co-star Gabby - months after the pair vehemently denied claims that they'd had an illicit tryst.
In March 2019 rumours began to circulate that he had kissed Love Island's Alexandra Cane in a nightclub, which they both denied.
The model reportedly called Dan 'D' in their 'flirty texts' and allegedly met at London’s The Hoxton hotel in March 2023
After news of their close friendship come to light, Christine reportedly said she is 'absolutely adamant nothing sexual happened between them both', with Dan suggesting the messages are 'deep fakes or AI'
A source close to Christine alleged that Dan 'mainly led the way with texts', which often involved 'platonic stuff about their kids'
That December he was rocked by cheating claims after it was alleged he engaged in a threesome with his Celebrity Big Brother co-stars Natalie Nunn and Chloe Ayling last year - which he strongly denied - while Jacqueline was in the I'm A Celebrity jungle.
After endless denials, Dan finally admitted he had been unfaithful and then referenced his misgivings in a post.
Dan publicly apologised to Jac a week after she was crowned queen of the jungle on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
He confessed to making 'mistakes' and said 'I've done things I shouldn't have done' as he finally took responsibility for his actions.
Dan even admitted that if Jacqueline had behaved the same way he did, he would have walked out on their relationship, saying, 'If it was the other way around I'd be gone.'
He put out a statement, which read: 'So after weeks, months and years of constant articles and rumours, some true, some very untrue I want to publicly say I know I have made mistakes.
'We all do as humans, but I've made some that have almost cost me my family.
'I am the luckiest man in the world to have what I have with Jacqueline and my three incredible children and I will spend the rest of my life being the best husband and dad that I can be.
In 2018 Dan was linked to Gabby Allen, who recently returned to the Love Island villa for All Stars, after they were spotted getting close on a yacht in Marbella
In December 2019 he was rocked by cheating claims after it was alleged he engaged in a threesome with his Celebrity Big Brother co-stars Chloe Ayling (pictured) and Natalie Nunn
Dan publicly apologised to Jac a week after she was crowned queen of the jungle on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
'Jac, myself and our families are excited for the future, one filled with love and happiness together.
'We truly appreciate everyone that has supported us as a couple, we are ending this year stronger than ever.'
The post was uploaded just hours after Jacqueline addressed how things were on Lorraine, saying her husband has 'done wrong' but that she wants to 'restart their relationship'.
Not holding back, she said: 'The thing is, it’s really funny because we've been going through it for two years - this isn’t new for me.
'I want to hit the restart button, it’s been two years of me giving him hell, he knows he’s done wrong, there's lots of stuff that’s not true that I can’t talk about for legal reasons, but we're OK.'
Dan and Jacqueline put on a united front in new loved-up social media messages amid their marital woes.
But it seems the pair could be working things out, as Dan made his feelings clear by publicly commenting on Jacqueline's latest sizzling Instagram snap.
The star looked incredible in a strapless black gown which featured a sequinned top half and a high split which allowed her to showcase plenty of leg, as she head off to the British Soap Awards on Saturday.
It comes after Jac and Dan looked close as they cosied up to one another at a friends' wedding on Saturday
Despite splitting last month, it seems the couple could be working things out, as Dan, 33, made his feelings clear by publicly commenting on Jacqueline's latest sizzling Instagram snap
Commenting underneath the snap, Dan penned: 'Beautiful,' to which Jacqueline replied: 'Thankyou my love x'
Commenting underneath the snap, Dan penned: 'Beautiful,' to which Jacqueline replied: 'Thankyou my love x'
It comes just days after the pair looked close as they cosied up to one another at a friends' wedding.
In a snap shared by a friend over the weekend, it looks as thought the couple are back on as Jacqueline wrapped her arm around her husband's arm.
The pair were seen sharing a carriage as they rode a roller coaster in wedding attire with a number of other guests.
Both Jacqueline and Dan had cheesy grins on their faces for the snap ahead of the ride, as they enjoyed their friends' big day.
Meanwhile, Christine recently opened up about her sexuality and her divorce from Paddy, as she revealed she has dated women since she was a teenager.
The TV personality explained to Elizabeth Day on her How To Fail podcast, that her ex-husband and family have known about her sexuality since she was little and it was 'never a secret'.
And now she has opened up about how she was dating women, including one two-year 'situationship', before she met Paddy, and admits she wants a connection for herself and not a step-parent for her children.
Christine opened up about her sexuality and her divorce from Paddy as she revealed she has dated women since she was a teenager
She told the broadcaster: 'It shouldn't matter somebody's gender. It never mattered to me, which was why once me and my ex-husband were separated and I met people, I didn't properly date.
'It was more like blurred the lines of friendships for me, that was normal. It felt comfortable because I'd done that as a teenager and I, as a teenager, I dated both men and women. My ex-husband knew. My family knew. It was never a secret for me.'
When asked if she has a label for her sexuality, Christine said she has thought about it but would consider herself more of a 'free spirit'.
When asked about labels, Christine explained: 'No and again, I've thought about it. A lot of people always ask me, are you a lesbian? Are you bisexual? Are you what? Is this a phase?
'I've always been quite a free spirit. I think that's the only word I would put on it. When I was a teenager, I'd dated boys and girls. 14/15 was probably when I had my first kisses with, with both, and I never felt it was anything different or a big deal.
'Then I think where I grew up, everyone was kind of just there for a good time.'
Christine explained that before Paddy she did date women and her longest relationship latest around two years.
'My longest was two years before I met my ex-husband and then I've had really, really lovely long situation shifts where we purposely haven't put a label on anything', she added.
'But my experiences with women have been lovely and It's not like women are better or worse. It's simply that the connection for me is different. I need a connection now. I need something different.
'I really, really, honestly, I love my family and Patrick is part of my family and he always, always will be. But now for my next relationship, I know what I want and I want someone for me.
'I want someone that I like spending time with, we can do stuff together that we both enjoy. I want that emotional connection where I can be open and I can talk and I can be vulnerable and I can ask for help, but I can also have a laugh and just have a good time.
'It's not like I'm trying to find a new family unit or someone to come in and be a stepparent. I want my next relationship to be for me.'
