Pien Meulensteen, 29, helped Gethin Jones see in his 48th birthday in the stunning French Alps after Helen Skelton finally broke her silence over relationship rumours
Gethin Jones enjoyed a ski trip with some friends (Image: @pienmeulensteen/instagram)
Single Gethin Jones cuddled up with Sky Sports star Pien Meulensteen as fans’ hopes of a BBC Morning Live romance with Helen Skelton grow less and less likely. Welshman Gethin and Helen were said to have enjoyed dates at a luxury spa last year, and were pictured looking really close as speculation swirled they were an item.
Neither had denied it until this weekend, when Helen told the Mirror they have only ever been good friends and work colleagues.
Gethin, 48, made the most of his birthday as he hit the slopes, sharing Instagram snaps alongside his pals included Dutch reporter, 29, as they jetted off for lavish a ski trip. They linked arms as he showed off his cake and he didn’t see the need to play down who he was with.
Pien Meulensteen was on hand to help his birthday go with a bang(Image: @pienmeulensteen/instagram)
Helen Skelton and Gethin got tongues wagging at the Pride Of Britain Awards (Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
The TV presenter captioned the French Alps snaps: “A quality few days in Morzine with a top class group ‘the padel princesses’. First time I went to the mountains I raced half pipe and tried a ski jump, this was around 20 years ago!
“I’ve been skiing a few times since then but decided to get my first lesson this time, and guess what, it really helped. Waiting for the queen of socials @pienmeulensteen to send some reels. Until then, he’s my offering!”
Helen split from rugby player Richie in 2022 – the father of her children – and whilst rumours gathered pace about a potential romance with Gethin, she has not commented on her love life until now. But she has now put distance between stories and a possible romance.
She insisted that they are nothing more than ‘work friends’ and always have been, saying: “We just work together, we are not together. No, no, no. We are just work friends. They printed pictures of us at work and that we’re together because we are at work together.”
Helen says they are just work friends (Image: Instagram)
Pien loves life on the slops(Image: @pienmeulensteen/instagram)
She told us: “I’ve been friends with [presenters] Michelle and Gethin for 25 years. Geth was on Blue Peter before me, so we’ve always crossed paths, and Michelle and I were flatmates when we lived in London. We’re all in the same frame of mind.
“The tricky bit is, we’re such good mates that sometimes we forget we’re on air! I see my work friends as much as I do my real friends,” she said previously as she refused to confirm that the pair were dating despite the rumours.
Rumours have swirled about a potential romance with Gethin, with them being pictured looking cosy at the Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards last year, where they embraced and leaned into one another on the red carpet.
They have been friends for years and colleagues for just as long. Last year, they took part in Gethin and Helen’s Wheely Big Challenge – a 24-hour roller-skating challenge in aid of Comic Relief, which they worried might wreck their friendship.
“What’s different this time is that we have each other. We’re best friends. We’re very honest with one another.” But with only hours to go, the pressure is mounting,” Gethin said.
He poured cold water on rumours of a romance brewing between him and Helen. During an appearance on Morning Live today, he was interviewing Christine McGuinness about her Situationships podcast. When author Sophie Gravia and Christine discussed their own relationships and romances, one remarked about being single for a long time, with Gethin quickly stepping in to say “join the club”, seemingly confirming his single status.
Bosses were reportedly keen for Gethin and Helen to confirm or deny their romance after their cosy display at the Pride of Britain Awards. A source said: “There’s a common feeling among them [BBC bosses] that it’s time for Helen and Gethin to confirm where they stand and stop playing around with the viewers. It’s time for clarity.
“Standing together on that red carpet has only confused viewers, who truly do want them to be an item, and it’s not fair anymore to keep the speculation going. It’s starting to feel on purpose as they’re really leaning into it.”
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