Christine McGuinness and Dan Osborne have reportedly been sending each other “flirty texts” while helping each other through their marriage woes.
McGuinness split from her comedian husband Paddy in 2022 after 11 years of marriage, but they continued to live together for the sake of their three children.
Osborne, meanwhile, was thought to have split from wife Jacqueline Jossa in March after eight years of marriage, although they have continued to work to save their relationship.
McGuinness and Osborne have stayed in touch since meeting in 2019 and some of their messages have got “pretty flirty”, according to The Sun.
Former TOWIE star Osborne reportedly “led the way” with the texting and the duo are believed to have met up at London’s The Hoxton hotel in May 2023.
“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,” an insider said.
The source added: “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.”
Another source said many of the texts involved “platonic stuff about their kids” and added that Osborne is “devoted to Jacqueline and would hate for any suggestion of impropriety”.
McGuinness is “absolutely adamant nothing sexual happened between them both',” with Osborne suggesting the messages are “deep fakes or AI”, according to the outlet.
McGuinness’ representative has declined to comment. The Standard has contacted Osborne’s representative for comment.
Osborne and Jossa tied the knot in 2017 and were thought to have called it quits earlier this year - although they have been putting on a united front in recent weeks.
The duo were spotted cosying up to one another at a friend’s wedding and just days later, Osborne commented “beautiful” under Jossa’s Instagram snap.
He previously admitted to cheating after allegations that he had a threesom with his Celebrity Big Brother co-stars Natalie Nunn and Chloe Ayling while Jossa was in the I'm A Celebrity jungle.
He confessed to making “mistakes” and said “I've done things I shouldn't have done” in a public apology to Jossa a week after she was crowned queen of the jungle.
