Strictly’s Dianne Buswell’s friend says “I could tell that something more was going on with Joe Sugg’ – weeks after she posted this loved-up pic with Emmerdale hunk
IN a plunging green dress with the sun beaming down on her, Dianne Buswell looked the picture of happiness as she cuddled up to her long-term boyfriend Anthony Quinlan, 33, at a wedding in September.
Just a week later, Dianne, 29, would start Strictly rehearsals and be paired with Joe Sugg - and seeing their immediate chemistry on the dancefloor, fans of the show were left questioning if there was something more going on.
And it wasn't just the public who were kept guessing. Today, Dianne's best friend revealed to Sun Online that even he thought there was something going on.
Kieran McMahon, 26, said: "Even I didn’t 100 per cent know about the relationship until it came out on social media - but I could tell from their chemistry when they danced that something more may have been going on."
It wasn't until 19th October - five weeks into Strictly - that Dianne and Anthony announced their split in a joint statement citing long distance as the reason. They had been together 10 months.
By the time their split was made public, Dianne and Joe, 27, were the new hot couple on TV - although they refused to admit they were dating until the end of the series.
Just a week later, Dianne was seen leaving Joe Sugg's house with an overnight bag.
Kieran says: "She’s my best friend - I’ve known her for nine years - so I know her body language and can tell when she’s truly interested in someone, and with Joe she just seems genuinely happy.#
"Besides, dancers will know that when you’re working hard with someone for competitions, training day and night, that you’re going to get to know each other really well.
"And as Dianne, 29, is naturally a flirty person with everyone, it’s hardly surprising they got close."
'Dianne is moving on, I think everyone else needs to as well'
While Kieran - who is an ex-professional dancer - has yet to meet his best pal's new man, he says the pair have talked at lengths about their relationship.
"I haven’t seen them together in person yet, but over the phone and hearing about Joe from Dianne, he seems like a great guy who really understands her," Kieran says.
"There’s been so much speculation over their relationship and everyone is obsessed with the Strictly curse, but people need to get over it because nobody has been hurt.
"All we want for Dianne is someone who will treat her well, understand her humour and energy and support her in what she does; so now that Dianne is moving on from what's happened in the past, I think everyone else needs to as well."
'She never spoke much about Anthony'
Now, Dianne's 10-month romance with actor Anthony, 33, has all but been forgotten in a matter of weeks - and Kieran admits she seems much more interested in Joe than she was in previous boyfriends.
"Dianne’s had some shockers of boyfriends in the past," Kieran said. "She never spoke much about Anthony except from the times I asked - clearly it didn’t last and there’s nothing more to it.
"When it comes to relationships, she’s all in or nothing."
Soon after the start of Strictly, speculation began about professional dancer Dianne and dance partner Joe Sugg, who oozed chemistry on and off the dance floor.
The dancing duo - nicknamed 'Joanne' - had been spotted leaving rehearsals together and heading back to Joe's London home, and Dianne had even started appearing on Joe's YouTube channel in a series of 'vlogs' that looked back over their dancing best bits.
But in a series of TV appearances and interviews where the couple were questioned about the possibility of a romance, they both denied their pairing was anything more than friendship.
"It’s so nice I’ve met a good friend in Dianne," 27-year-old Joe told Phillip Schofield on This Morning, who raised an eyebrow at the pair. "We haven’t got time to think of anything like that!"
But that didn't stop fans questioning their relationship.
Ahead of their final performance on the Strictly stage, fans gushed over the duo once more as Dianne broke down in tears in an emotional VT that looked back over their dancing journey, hinting further at the behind-the-scenes romance.
"You have done me proud and thank you for all the time and effort you've put in. It's been the best time in my life," she said as she wiped away tears.
Even fellow contestant Dr Ranj told The Telegraph: "I may have noticed some things before it was official."
Joe finally spilled the beans about the new relationship after the Strictly results show - taking to Instagram to post a loved-up snap with his new girlfriend, and describing her as ‘a million times more special’ than Strictly’s coveted glitter ball trophy.
The stars took time out after the competition to spend time together outside of training, with Joe whisking Dianne off on a mini break in Hampshire with sister Zoe Sugg and her vlogger boyfriend Alfie Deyes this week.
In a series of vlogs posted by Joe, the pair can be seen enjoying the countryside, holding hands while taking walks on the beach and chilling out together in a hot tub before a couple's massage.
The Ozzie native has since travelled home to Perth, Australia for Christmas with her family, including dancer brother Andrew and her young nephew and niece.
Meanwhile, her ex, Anthony has claimed he'd totally ‘moved on’ from the break-up, and that it happened 'a long time' before the 29-year-old's hookup with Joe Sugg - despite the fact the pair were pictured on social media just three weeks before Strictly rehearsals began.
They had been introduced in 2017 by mutual friend Gemma Atkinson, who has appeared in Emmerdale alongside Anthony as Carly Hope since 2015, and is girlfriend of fellow Strictly favourite Gorka Marquez.
After they went official, they were often spotted visiting each other in London and Manchester, taking time out for Wimbledon this summer, and even becoming the faces of the Ford Go Faster racing event, which saw the pair drive around the Trafford Centre track as part of the hair-raising campaign.
But it was not meant to be, with the pair officially announcing their break up in October.
The 34-year-old actor was quick to slam the rumours that there was a cross-over between his relationship with Dianne and the new one that was forming with Joe, despite reports that the dancing couple had been caught kissing on a night out weeks before the breakup.
"We split up a while back and I have moved on. There’s nothing more to say," Anthony told Sun Online, saying that the long distance between them and stints of time apart were the real reason behind their parting ways.
Now, Kieran thinks Dianne has moved on from her 'shockers of boyfriends' and met The One.
"Ever since we first met she’s had that bubbly and energetic personality, she’s a bit bonkers,” best friend Kieran said. “And she’s happy and enthusiastic like that all the time, it’s not just for the cameras.
"If anything people sometimes think she’s a bit ditsy because of it. But she just loves to have fun, and I think that’s maybe why things have worked out so well with Joe for her, because he seems to have a lot of energy and be really fun-loving too."
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With an upcoming UK tour on the cards, as well as another series of Strictly and a worldwide Burn the Floor extravaganza, Dianne is set to have a busy year juggling her relationship with online personality Joe.
"It’s going to be an amazing year for her,” Kieran concludes. "She will be coming for that glitter ball trophy and more, and she may have even found a new dance partner in Joe - who knows…"