Never mind the competitors, now that Strictly is finished, we feel utterly exhausted – and that’s mainly because of all the rumours and gossip that have been doing the rounds over the past couple of months.
Affairs, rifts, meltdowns – you name it, the media claimed it was going on behind the scenes of the BBC dancing show.
Well, one of the contestants, Simon Rimmer, has finally addressed the one whisper that involved him – namely, an utterly bizarre Twitter rumour that he’d had a one-night stand with fellow competitor Gemma Atkinson…
Crazy right? As if! Simon’s a happily married man!
It’s unclear where or how the rumour started but, judging by the fact that they appeared in selfies together, the Sunday Brunch presenter, 54, and ex Emmerdale actress Gemma, 33, obviously get on well.
And, obviously, men and women can’t just be friends these days, right? *eye roll*
Read more: Two Strictly stars have reportedly been sending ‘naughty’ messages
The strange ‘did they have a one night stand?’ rumour has been floating around Twitter and today Simon answered that question in no uncertain terms, saying it’s all RUBBISH! Obviously.
And the happily married star finds it all hilarious!
A fan of the show tweeted: “I’ve been told that it was @MissGAtkinson and @simonrim who had a one-night stand?? This has to be a mistake, surely? #strictlyonenightstand #StrictlyComeDancing #strictly.”
And married Simon – who was partnered with Karen Clifton on the programme – responded: “Gemma is like a daughter to me and has become a friend of all my family. I think it’s funny.”
Clearly, Gemma found it pretty amusing too, as she added: “Howling”, along with some ‘crying with laughter’ emojis.
Poking fun at the rumours even further, Simon quipped to Gemma on Twitter: “Do you think we need to be quiet about our date on Weds with my wife and 23 of our friends Gem? x.”
Simon also simply called the whole situation “hilarious”.
Another fan asked Simon if he was “flattered or insulted” by the rumour, to which he said: “Neither.” So, that’s everyone told! That ridiculous rumour was, well, just a rumour! As we all knew.
Meanwhile, throughout the series, poor old Gemma had to fend off rumours that she was dating various people.
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First, there was Alexandra Burke’s professional partner Gorka Marquez, and then there was footballer Ryan Giggs, who was seen visiting the actress in her rehearsal studio.
Gemma denied both suggestions – although it sounds like she wouldn’t be averse to a bit of romance at some point.
Prior to the series starting, she responded to talk of a Strictly ‘curse’ by telling The Sun: “I’ve been single for ages, so there wouldn’t be any curse for me – it would be a blessing.”