Nicole Scherzinger has reportedly started dating Ed Sheeran after telling him his music has helped her recover from splitting up with Lewis Hamilton.
The former X Factor judge is said to have become “extremely close” to the singer following a series of nights out.
Scherzinger, the 37-year-old Pussycat Doll singer, has been friends with Sheeran, 24, for some time.
But friends have been left speculating on a potential blooming romance in recent months, according to The Sun on Sunday.
Sheeran is said to have taken Scherzinger, who last year made her West End debut in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Cats, for a date at a pub in his home town of Framlingham, in Suffolk, after they met in London.
He also invited her backstage when he performed a record three back-to-back shows at Wembley last month.
Scherzinger posted a picture on Instagram in the early hours of July 12 of the pair together.
She captioned it: "Okay okay you win @edsheeran, you're taller."
She is also said to have dedicated a performance of Don’t Cha to Sheeran when she performed in Hollywood on July 27, saying: “This is for you, Ed.”
A friend of Sheeran’s told the newspaper: "As far as he's concerned they were in the early stages of dating and he's been open about it with close friends and colleagues. It may not develop beyond those dates but they're definitely tight."
And a friend of Scherzinger said: "They're extremely close. Nicole says he is the male version of her."
Scherzinger was said to be “heartbroken and devastated” when she split from Formula 1 star Hamilton in February, allegedly over his refusal to settle down.
It was the fourth time the couple had broken up during their seven-year relationship.
A spokesman for Sheeran denied to The Sun on Sunday his relationship with Scherzinger was romantic, while Scherzinger’s representative did not respond to a request for comment.