Pete Wicks and Chloe Sims reportedly dated in secret – but their relationship became "messy".
The 31-year-old TV star and Chloe, 37, "crossed the line from friendship to romance" before their relationship fell apart and their friendship soured, with Chloe feeling Pete was vague about his intentions.
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday newspaper, a source explained: "They crossed the line from friendship to romance and it got messy.
"After a string of failed relationships on the show, the last thing Chloe wanted was another guy letting her down publicly, but Pete was never clear about his intentions. She felt slighted."
Despite the supposed acrimony, Pete and Chloe have so far remained tight-lipped about their reported romance.
In 2019, Pete insisted he would never date Chloe, saying he wouldn’t want to "hurt or ruin" their friendship.
He said at the time: "Me and Chloe have been mates for so long it is one of those things I would never want to hurt or ruin our friendship.
"I have had a bad history with women and Chloe has been hurt before so there’s no way either of us would risk what we have.
"I know a lot of people would like to see us together. I do love her to bits as a person and I would never not want her in my life but just as friends.
"We have too much to lose to ever risk it."
Chloe also insisted they’d never date – even though she considers Pete to be her "soulmate".
She said: "I think Pete is my soulmate. He definitely is. We are so close and I do love him. I say to him all the time that I love him, but I don’t know if soulmates have to be together in a sexual relationship."