JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes celebrate “soulmate friendship” forged in Celebrity Big Brother

In an exclusive television interview on This Morning, aired today (Monday 28 April), JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes opened up about their deep bond formed during their time in the Celebrity Big Brother house.

Speaking to hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, the pair reflected on their transformative experience, personal revelations, and the strength of their platonic friendship, which Hughes described as a “soulmate friendship.”

The duo, who captivated audiences during their three-week stint on the reality show, appeared relaxed and candid as they discussed the highs and lows of their time in the house.

Hughes, a former Love Island star, described the experience as “tough at times but an amazing experience,” adding, “Three weeks which I’ll remember and we’ll remember for the rest of our lives… Just really good fun.”

Siwa, the American singer and social media sensation, echoed his enthusiasm, stating, “I knew it was going to be good, but it was by far better than I could have ever imagined.”

For Siwa, the isolation of the Big Brother house proved to be a catalyst for profound self-reflection. “Day three, I was now in my own thoughts, away from everyone that I know, away from outside opinions, away from everything,” she revealed.

“I sat with myself and from that point on, I really realised things that I was okay with in my life that I should never have been okay with in the first place.”

When pressed by Deeley on whether this referred to her romantic relationship, Siwa responded cautiously, saying, “And just so many things, that is one of them, but so many things… There were countless things that I was like, ‘That’s not something that I should be okay with and I don’t need to be okay with, and I’m not happy’.”

Siwa’s time in the house prompted her to make significant changes upon leaving. “I knew as soon as I got out, I wanted to fix things in my life and make the changes that I needed to make,” she said. “I think I realised just how not great things were, that I was pretending they were great.”

She expressed gratitude for Hughes’ support during this period, noting, “I’m very grateful that I had you in there for support and for comfort, even though you didn’t know what was going on in my brain.”

The chemistry between Siwa and Hughes was evident throughout the interview, with both describing their friendship as a cornerstone of their Big Brother experience.

“Obviously we’re close, obviously we’re tight,” Siwa said with a smile. Hughes elaborated, “It’s hard to explain, it’s just a really strong bond between two people which is just a strong friendship… I think you could have, like, a soulmate friendship.” He added, “Having someone in there to go through an experience like that… Probably my favourite thing I got from the whole show.”

When Deeley asked Siwa if their friendship could ever turn romantic, she was quick to clarify its platonic nature. “He is a great guy, it is platonic,” she said. “We have a lot of fun together, life is life, and I don’t know any future of anything. But I’m really grateful for our dynamic that we have and our bond that we have, and whatever life does, life will do.”

Hughes also addressed a notable moment from the show when he confronted fellow housemate Mickey Rourke over derogatory comments directed at Siwa.

“I just feel like when people are making derogatory terms or terms that you just can’t use anymore, it made me feel uncomfortable,” he explained. “I felt like when I had a conversation with him, he would listen to me… You could see him listening and wanting to learn, and I think when people get things wrong in life and say things wrong, but they’re learning, I think that’s a good thing.”

Reflecting on the public’s reaction to their time in the house, Hughes took a pragmatic approach. “You just do deal with it… You can allow for people to have opinions on things, and I am always one to say I appreciate people who have opinions,” he said.

He acknowledged the inevitable tensions of living in close quarters, noting, “When you’re in each other’s space and you can’t escape each other, it would be kind of uncharacteristic to not have issues and little feuds with people. But that’s why we kind of had each other in there, and it was so lovely because it was a nice thing to have.”

The interview highlighted the enduring impact of their Big Brother experience, both personally and in their friendship. Siwa, now focused on rebuilding aspects of her life, credited the show with giving her clarity and the courage to address her unhappiness. For Hughes, the experience was enriched by the bond he formed with Siwa, which he described as one of the most meaningful outcomes of the show.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV, ITVX, STV, and STV Player