EXCLUSIVE Inside JoJo Siwa's 'calculated' relationship with Love Island's Chris Hughes
The couple developed feelings for each other during a stint in the Celebrity Big Brother UK house in April but played coy over their relationship status in the weeks that followed – despite numerous cosy public outings.
After igniting much suspicion, JoJo, 22, finally confirmed last week that she and Chris, also 22, are officially an item and that she's started calling him her boyfriend.
But while JoJo and Chris seem every inch the doting couple, there are many who are unconvinced by their relationship.
Sarah Schmidt is a celebrity publicist and president of PR firm, Interdependence and she believes that doubt over their partnership is due to the 'breadcrumbs' that JoJo and Chris's fans have been fed over the course of their journey together.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail, she said: 'JoJo's relationship with Chris is either a brilliant PR strategy, or a real relationship being handled with PR care.
'Either way, it's a timely reset for her brand. JoJo has been publicly evolving, shedding the bows, embracing her queerness and redefining her artistry.
'Even if it started as genuine chemistry, the way it's been rolled out with breadcrumbs on social, teased in interviews, and confirmed only when the speculation peaked, it feels calculated.
'That's not a bad thing. It's smart. Because JoJo's not just selling a relationship, she's selling her reinvention.'
DailyMail.com has reached out to reps for comment.
JoJo and Chris finally confirmed that they were dating last week following weeks of frenzied speculation.
In an interview with Capital Radio, JoJo said: 'I'm sure it's no secret to people, I am in a lovely relationship with a sweet boy named Christopher Hughes.'
She also gushed about her blossoming romance with Chris in an interview with The Guardian when asked whether things between them were still platonic.
'It's not platonic anymore, and it's been a beautiful development, a beautiful connection, and I'm absolutely head over heels for him and he's the same way,' she told them.
For many, JoJo and Chris's partnership is unexpected, which again has aroused suspicion.
When JoJo entered the ITV reality show, she was in a relationship with her now ex-partner Kath Ebb.
She later dumped them at the wrap party just hours after the finale episode aired.
JoJo's ex Kath was one of the first to accuse JoJo of a publicity stunt.
Speaking to Betches about their breakup, Kath mused: 'I feel a bit like I've been this pawn that's been moved around in this story by Big Brother, by JoJo, by her PR team, by the tabloids.
'And I feel really beaten around by that because it's just not something I asked for. And I think at the end of the day, the boring headline is: I'm just heartbroken, and I've just gone through a really messy breakup that I didn't see coming, and I'm in shock, and I'm picking up the pieces of my love life and of my life in that.'
Since then, JoJo has been spending time with 'soulmate' Chris in both the US and UK, having recently met his family.
'In today's celebrity ecosystem, visibility is survival, and few things hijack a narrative faster than an unexpected love interest — especially one that crosses markets, continents, and fan bases,' celebrity publicist Sarah added.
She also said that both parties stand to gain from the romance.
'Chris gains international relevance, and JoJo reclaims control of her story,' she added.
Earlier this week, it was reported that JoJo has been dropped by her record label, Columbia Records.
JoJo had been signed to the record company in 2024, and she released her single Karma and EP Guilty Pleasure with the label.
But less than a year later, the US reality star is no longer working with Columbia Records and released her latest song Bulletproof independently.
The timing of the JoJo's contract with the label coming to an end mixed in with her already dubious relationship with Chris has added to the uncertainty.
'The public's suspicion isn't about homophobia or age gaps. It's about the timing,' Sarah noted.
'In entertainment, timing is everything. If you're dropped by your label and suddenly fall in love with a handsome British reality star, people are going to talk.
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