I've had more people call me ‘gay' than ever before but JoJo romance is REAL, says Chris Hughes in ONLY interview

The Sun

16 hours ago

CHRIS Hughes has finally broken his silence and revealed the TRUTH about his unexpected romance with his Celebrity Big Brother housemate, JoJo Siwa.
From 'showmance' rumours to shock 'gay' rumours, this is the TV favourite's most honest chat to date - buckle up.
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Here, Chris sits down with Fabulous' Kelly Allen to set to record straight...
If someone had said 12 months ago that Chris Hughes would be dating social-media star JoJo Siwa, you'd think they were deluded.
But after meeting for the first time on Celebrity Big Brother in April, the pair have fallen madly in love.
Even Chris is surprised by how events have panned out.
SHOCK ROMANCE
'Everything that happened on CBB, and everything that has happened since. . . I know it's such a clichéd thing to say, but I would never have believed it in a million years.'
He's not the only one. Not even a betting man would have predicted that the 32-year-old Love Island star turned racing commentator would get together with Nebraska-born JoJo, who rose to fame as an 11-year-old on Dance Moms and is worth £15million.
Particularly as, when she entered the house, JoJo, 22, was in a relationship with 27-year-old Australian actor Kath Ebbs, who identifies as non-binary.
But love moves in mysterious ways, and as speculation about Chris and JoJo's relationship in the house reached fever pitch, it emerged that she had dumped Kath at the CBB finale party.
Chris and JoJo initially remained coy about what was going on, but after transatlantic trips to see each other, the pair have taken it up a level.
Today, Chris is speaking for the first time about their relationship and wants to set the story straight.
'Meeting her gave me this magical feeling. She is the most precious person'
JoJo, or Joelle as he likes to call her (she refers to him as 'my sweet Christopher'), is unexpectedly also on the Fabulous shoot.
She jetted into London a day early to surprise him and has joined us on set.
And the pair can't keep their hands off each other! They canoodle between takes, and JoJo takes snaps on her phone, commenting on her 'hot' boyfriend.
JoJo, who is based in California, is not, on the surface, Chris' usual type.
He dated Olivia Attwood after meeting her on Love Island in 2017, as well as having relationships with Jesy Nelson and then professional golfer Annabel Dimmock, who he split from in 2022.
He had been single since.
'I started to think there was no one out there for me,' he admits.
'I've been on dates, but there was nothing that properly ignited me. I kept questioning if it was me, or if I had commitment issues, because so many of these people were amazing, but there was something missing.
"Then meeting Joelle gave me this magical feeling. She is the most precious person.
'Life has an unexpected way of bringing two people together, and this feels like that. We were meant to cross paths.
"We keep saying to each other it was serendipity. Life handed me a blessing in my lap.'
Fans were gripped by the pair's relationship on Celebrity Big Brother, where Chris finished sixth and JoJo placed third.
'Some of the best relationships start as friendships,' explains Chris.
'I look back at the CBB clips and could see how we gravitated towards each other.
"We just wanted to be there for each other in the house. I adored the ground she walked on and the way she handled herself.
"How can you not love her? But it was as a friend.
'Then towards the end of the show, I was confused about my feelings for her. And you don't know what it's going to be like on the outside. I was saying to myself: 'Come on, Chris, pull yourself together.'
'She flew home and she was so upset leaving and I was so sad to see her go.
"We were just friends at that stage, but we were talking all the time. I was missing her and I felt like I needed to see her, so I flew to Mexico City to surprise her.
"I was so nervous, even though I'd lived with her for three weeks. Then we ended up going to Orlando and I met her family – it was the best three days of my life.
"From the minute I woke up until I went to bed, I was just so happy. It was at that moment something fully ignited inside me.
"I went: 'God, I really like this person', and I knew she reciprocated it.'
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While on the holiday, they opened up about their feelings. 'It was really special and just happened without any effort or planning.
"Our first kiss was genuinely special – it felt like I was in a movie. I can't keep my hands off her now!
"I love her skin, her eyes and her smile.
'I never really used to look forward to going to bed, as it's when your mind wonders about things, and I struggled previously with anxiety, but now I look forward to it.
"When she's tucked into me, it feels like the best thing. Now she doesn't have hair extensions she can get really close, because before they would tickle my face or I'd be choking on them.
"There was a lot of hair,' he laughs.
And have they said: 'I love you' yet? 'Yeah, every day I tell her,' he smiles. 'She's the last person I speak to at night and the first I speak to when I wake up.
"I can't explain it, but it's a safe love. It's like a natural high.'
And JoJo's momager Jessalynn and dad Tom have given their seal of approval – even inviting Chris to the family group chat.
There isn't an ounce of toxic masculinity in my body
'Honestly, I've never felt more comfortable with people,' he says. 'We were like one big happy family in Florida.
"Her brother Jayden and Abby, Jayden's wife to be, were there. They've invited us to their wedding next year.­
'Last time they were in London, I messaged the family group chat, saying: 'Tom, do you want to go to the spa with me?'
"So we did that, then we had a few beers and played Nintendo together. Yeah, he definitely approves.
"He plays golf and he's been practising so we can play when I go to the West Coast in a couple of weeks.
"He thinks he will beat me, but genuinely he won't,' he laughs.
Her parents' approval aside, it hasn't all been plain sailing for the couple.
There has been criticism over their 10-year age gap and there were rumours of Chris using JoJo to boost his profile in the States.
What does he think of the accusations that their relationship is fake?
'I don't care,' he says. 'I wouldn't go to the effort of loving someone for any other reason than it being real.
"Having been in this industry for eight years, I needed to adapt to having criticism from different angles.
"The past few months have actually made me a little stronger mentally.
'People are entitled to have opinions. It would be boring if we all thought the same thing.
"I've had more people call me 'gay' in the last two months of my life than ever before. But it doesn't bother me – as long as people aren't nasty, opinions are fine.
"I may be feminine in the way I do things, but I wouldn't change the way I am for anything.
"I cry a lot, but we live in a world where toxic masculinity exists, and there isn't an ounce of that in my body.
"Crying is my release, and I won't let anyone tell me that makes me less of a man.'
I've had more people call me 'gay' in the last two months of my life than ever before. But it doesn't bother me – as long as people aren't nasty, opinions are fine.
Chris insists the age gap never crossed his mind until people commented on it.
'She's one of the most mature people I've ever met, and I'm very immature! But it just works.
"My mates always say: 'Love is love', and that's what this is. You can't pick and choose how or when it happens.'
Chris is JoJo's first boyfriend, leading to backlash from the LGBTQ+ community.
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'I'm very respectful of everything she's been through,' he says. 'That's her own personal journey.
"But it upsets me that she is being thrown hate online. I do feel a sense of responsibility that being with me has led to her getting hate.
"I don't understand how anyone could be mean to someone as caring as her.
'Joelle has been with girls all her life. She is bisexual. She's not now straight just because she's with me.
"Sexuality can be fluid, and you should be able to love who you want without judgement.'
He adds: 'She is still part of the LGBTQ+ community, she always will be. And while there's been negativity, there has been so much love.'
Chris has even garnered praise from ex Jesy Nelson's mum. 'Janice reached out to my mum and said: 'It's nice to see Chris and JoJo together. It's nice to see him happy.''
Chris, who was with Little Mix 's Jesy for 16 months until they split in April 2020, posted on her social media congratulating her on the birth of her twin daughters.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't run through scenarios of our wedding
'If you can't be happy for people who have been in your life previously, then you won't be happy for anyone,' he says.
'We split up years ago, but she's such a nice girl. When I was with her, she used to get so much hate and I'd think: 'God, if you knew what she was like. . .'
"So I am chuffed to see her happy. She deserves it.'
JoJo dresses quite androgynously, often wears Pride colours and is a big fan of diamantés and rhinestones. Would Chris like it if she was more. . . girlie?
'No!' he exclaims. 'The person I grew to love was the person she is now. I would never want to change her.
"If she wants to change her style, that's on her. People say: 'You need to grow out of the glitter and rhinestones.'
"But I love the rhinestones. I find them everywhere. I found a red one in the shower the other day and I've stuck it on the wall so every time I see it, I'm like: 'That's her. That's the person I love.''
With Chris living in Windsor, have they discussed moving closer to each other?
'No, we haven't spoken about living with each other in the future. We live in the moment.
I'd love to marry her. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I run through scenarios of our wedding day
"There's no pressure on anything. I'm happy to jump on planes. We have a transatlantic relationship – she could live in New Zealand and we'd still make the same effort.
"I say it's effort, but it's effortless. Nothing is too much trouble to make her happy. I write love letters.
"I'm obsessed with her. I'd do anything for her.'
What does the future look like?
'I do see a forever here,' he grins. 'If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I genuinely see a forever. In relationships, you can have moments where you think: 'Is this going to work? Is this going to last?'
"I don't have that with her. I almost want to fast-forward to see what it's like, but I don't want to miss this.
'I'd love to marry her. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I run through scenarios of our wedding day.
"We'd have a proper English wedding and I can imagine her in a full wedding dress.
"We both want kids. We come from loving families. My mum loves her. She's my best friend.
"I love that she's the person I have to do nothing with and still have the best time. That's everything to me.'
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