JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes have reunited in Mexico after the Love Island star made a huge gesture and flew 12 hours to join the Dance Moms performer ahead of her 22nd birthday.
The pair, who formed a close bond during their time in the Celebrity Big Brother house last month, shared intimate photos of their reunion on social media yesterday.
Hughes, 32, travelled to Mexico City, where Siwa, 21, was booked to perform at the Tec Emblema Festival. The reunion comes just weeks after the pair were separated when Siwa returned to the United States following the conclusion of the reality show.
The British reality star shared a Snapchat post showing the pair lying on a sofa together, with Siwa resting on top of him and placing her hand on his chest. The caption simply read “finally reunited”.
Siwa also shared her excitement on social media, posting a selfie with the text “very happy girl” and describing her time in Mexico as a “beautiful 24 hours”.
The reunion photos included images of Siwa lifting Hughes into her arms backstage at her show, which she shared with her 11.2 million Instagram followers.
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The pair’s close relationship during their three-week stint in the Celebrity Big Brother house sparked widespread speculation among viewers.
They were frequently seen hugging and becoming increasingly tactile with one another, even developing a secret code where a “double tap” meant “I love you”.
Despite the obvious chemistry, both have insisted their relationship remains platonic. During an appearance on This Morning, Hughes explained: “It’s a soulmate friendship. It’s not your typical friendship, but it’s still a friendship. We’re friends.”
Siwa echoed this sentiment, describing Hughes as “a gorgeous boy” and “a great guy”, while maintaining their bond is platonic.
The relationship raised eyebrows, particularly as Siwa had entered the Big Brother house identifying as a lesbian and was in a relationship with Australian content creator Kath Ebbs, 27. However, Siwa ended the relationship at the Celebrity Big Brother wrap party shortly after leaving the show.
Speaking on This Morning, Siwa explained the breakup wasn’t planned but came after realising she wasn’t happy.
“There were countless things where I was like that’s not something I should be OK with or need to be OK with,” she told presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.
Ebbs, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, later said the bond between Siwa and Hughes had “crossed so many boundaries” for them.
Speaking at Stanford Speakers Bureau for A Night with JoJo Siwa, the performer gushed about Hughes, saying: “I mean look, we have the absolute most fun together and he is an absolute gem that’s come into my life.”
She added: “I told him this on the last night, maybe it wasn’t the last night, but sometime. I said you’re a vital part of my life that I didn’t know was missing. But I’m happy that I don’t have to anymore.”
When the crowd responded enthusiastically, Siwa joked: “Don’t let him see this, it will boost his ego!” before concluding: “He’s a keeper, we’ll keep him around, we’ll see.”
Hughes has also been open about his feelings towards Siwa, describing their connection as a strong bond between two people. After leaving the Big Brother house, he notably declined to participate in the upcoming series of Celebs Go Dating.
A spokesman explained: “Before entering Big Brother, Chris agreed to join the Celebs Go Dating agency. However, after an incredible but very intense experience in Big Brother, he is taking some time to decompress.”
This decision has fuelled further speculation among fans who suspect he may be keeping his options open to pursue a romance with Siwa.
Fans have been quick to react to the reunion, flooding Siwa’s social media with supportive comments. “You and Chris are so iconic,” wrote one follower, whilst another commented: “So happy you and Chris are finally back together.”
Siwa has announced she will be returning to the UK for two shows in London on 26 and 27 May, suggesting the pair will have more opportunities to spend time together.
When previously asked if her relationship with Hughes might develop romantically, Siwa offered an ambiguous response: “Life is life and I don’t know any future of anything, but I’m really grateful for our bond.”