Laurence Fox and Vogue Williams have split up

A source told The Sun: "Laurence and Vogue were incredibly close — they had so much fun together.

"They were initially good mates, bonding over both being single and coming out of high-profile relationships. It then turned serious but after several weeks, they realised perhaps it’s best they stay pals."

The pair first started getting close in April, a month after Laurence, 38, separated from his wife Billie Piper - with whom he has seven-year-old son Winston and a six-year-Eugene - and they hit it off because they have both been through major break-ups and Vogue was able to comfort Laurence.

Laurence finds Vogue - who split from Westlife star Brian McFadden in July 2015 - "hilarious" and are believed to have bonded over the shared experience of ending a long-term relationship.

A source previously said: "Laurence finds Vogue hilarious and they have so much fun. The fact they were both experiencing big break-ups at the same time only strengthened their bond and eased the pain they were feeling."

Their strong connection was clear in April, as Vogue planned a night out for Laurence and their friends from the extreme reality show to keep his spirits up as he dealt with his split from Billie, 34.

At the time, a source said: "Vogue has texted Laurence to make sure he is OK and they will be going out with others in a show reunion."