Céline and Spanish dancer Pepe 'definitely just friends'

Céline, 51, surprised fans when she first appeared on the cover of French gossip magazine Voici smiling alongside Pepe - lifelong followers of the vocal genius from Charlemagne, Québéc believed she would never love again after the loss of her soulmate, manager and the only partner she had ever had, René Angélil whose 18-year battle with throat cancer ended in tragedy in 2016, when he was 73.

But the Canadian artist's fans were pleased to see that she appeared to be recovering from the most devastating blow in her then 48 years, and which came at around the same time of her brother Daniel's death, leaving her 'broken'.

Since then, she has insisted 34-year-old Pepe, a former coach on Spanish reality show Fama ¡A Bailar! was her closest friend, but not her boyfriend.

"We dance together and he did so much for me, and even just holding my hand...it's something that I haven't had for a long time," she said in the beginning.

"He did so much for me, for my mental health, my spirituality, my strength - my inner strength," Céline, who won the Eurovision Song Contest representing Switzerland when she was still in her teens, added.

But she has finally confirmed the platonic nature of their 'relationship' in the most unquestionable way possible: "Pepe is gay.

"At first, I think some people did not know that."

Pepe, who had performed in musicals worldwide including Dirty Dancing and Cats, received a call out of the blue from Céline's PA asking him to join her team of back-up dancers, which he accepted - and they hit it off straight away, very quickly becoming close friends.

He is also a fashion illustrator, and both artists share a love of clothes - as the above photo of them on the front row at the Alexandre Vaulthier haute couture show in Paris this January reveals.

Photograph: Céline Dion Daily on Twitter (@celinedionorg)