Chris Hughes’s father told the Daily Mail this week that the family is supportive of the Love Island alumnus’s relationship with American performer JoJo Siwa and that a local church in the Gloucestershire village where the Hughes family live could host the couple’s wedding before Christmas.
Paul Hughes, who lives with his wife Valerie near St Mary’s Church in Temple Guiting, said the pair have introduced one another to their families and that JoJo has been staying at the Hughes cottage on weekends since leaving Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year. "JoJo is a lovely down to earth girl and she and Chris just hit it off from the moment they met on Celebrity Big Brother in April," Paul said. "It wouldn't surprise us if they got married before Christmas, we've got St Mary's Church just over the lane from us which would be perfect."
The couple first met in April while appearing on Celebrity Big Brother. Their relationship became public during the series and has drawn attention both for the speed with which it developed and for questions raised about JoJo Siwa’s sexual identity. Siwa, a 22-year-old entertainer from Omaha, Nebraska, rose to fame as a child on the reality show Dance Moms, built a large social-media following and commercial brand, and has previously described herself publicly as a lesbian. She has since said she felt pressured by labels and that she did not want to be boxed into a single identity, comments that have been part of the public debate surrounding her relationship with Chris Hughes, 32.
The pairing prompted criticism from some quarters, including from Siwa’s former partner, non-binary Australian influencer Kath Ebbs, who told a podcast that the relationship had been painful for them. Producers removed actor Mickey Rourke from Celebrity Big Brother after Rourke made comments about Siwa’s sexuality while on the show. Siwa and Hughes have acknowledged the scrutiny but have continued to appear together publicly, posting social-media photos, attending events and spending time with each other’s families.
Both Siwa and Hughes have spoken publicly about wanting a long-term future together. On a recent podcast, Siwa said she had grown more certain about wanting marriage and a traditional wedding with family involvement, saying she imagined a father walking her down the aisle and a first dance. Hughes has also discussed marriage with the pair featured on a magazine cover in July; he said then that he could picture "a proper English wedding" and that he would like to marry Siwa. Siwa reposted the magazine cover on social media with the caption "I do too."
Hughes’s parents described their interactions with Siwa in domestic terms, noting she has relaxed into family routines. Paul said Siwa "mucks in" and can make a cup of tea, and Valerie commented on social media that the couple looked "absolutely gorgeous" after photographs of them attending a friend’s wedding were shared. Paul, 68, also spoke about his own experience in the public eye, saying he had been a professional wrestler in his 20s under the ring name Hari Kari and was comfortable with media interest in the village.
Siwa’s family background and career have been frequently noted in discussions about the relationship. She became a household name from a young age, signed to Nickelodeon as a teen, headlined the O2 Arena at 16 and built a commercially successful brand that included extensive merchandise. Her parents, Tom and Jessalynn, live in a house Siwa bought for them; Siwa’s brother Jayden is reportedly planning his own wedding next year and has invited Hughes to be a groomsman. Hughes, who worked on his father’s farm before a stint in a local law firm and later appearing on Love Island, has introduced Siwa to British family life and local traditions, his father said.
The relationship marks a notable crossover between British reality-television personalities and an American entertainment figure whose career has roots in children’s television and a high-profile commercial brand. Critics and supporters alike have followed developments since Celebrity Big Brother; the couple’s public statements have included descriptions of deep affection and repeated references to building a future together.
Hughes’s previous relationships have included public figures such as Love Island co-star Olivia Attwood and singer Jesy Nelson. Hughes was single when he entered Celebrity Big Brother, having split from professional golfer Annabel Dimmock in 2022. Siwa moved to the United Kingdom following her participation in the series and has been seen spending time at the Hughes family home and visiting local spots near Temple Guiting.
When asked about the couple’s past relationships and Siwa’s sexuality, Paul Hughes said the family had no problem with either and that their primary concern was how Siwa and Chris got along. Local residents said they would welcome the attention if a wedding were to take place in the village, where St Mary’s Church, founded around AD 1170, sits near the Hughes family cottage.
Representatives for Siwa and Hughes did not immediately respond to requests for comment beyond the statements made by the couple and Hughes’s parents in recent interviews. The couple’s public calendar, recent social-media posts and comments on podcasts have continued to fuel speculation about the timing of any formal engagement or wedding plans, but no wedding date or official engagement announcement had been confirmed publicly as of the Hughes family’s interview with the Daily Mail.