The first rule of reality TV relationships is, of course, "Thou shalt not be in a relationship, even if literally every aspect of everything appears like you are in a relationship, until one of your utters the immortal line "Yeah, we're official" whilst 'pon the camera."
And it seems Dan Edgar and Lauren Pope's recent, and timely, rekindling of romance during the season finale of TOWIE, has suffered from not heeding that rule.
Because Dan is adamant that he's single. Hmm... it's almost as if this were a showmance. But no, Dan is equally adamant that it's very real.
"No way, not at all," he said, when asked if it was for the show. "We get on really well and I really do like her."
He then added: "Lauren is gorgeous, it's just one of those things at the moment. It's really casual and I'm definitely single."
The ambiguity of this is all very helpful - as it will keep us watching future episodes of TOWIE while also keeping his options open for other reality TV shows, all of which surround bonking. Not that we're so cynical as to believe a little thing like TV, career and ratings would get between the affairs of the human heart, of course.
"We're not dating — I'm still single," he reitirated to The Sun. "I'm very single, summer is coming up and I'm off to Ibiza for a holiday next week. I'll have to see what happens with Lauren."
Well it seems this is less about the human heart and more... well, classic reality show romance, then. Nobody knows where they stand, nobody draws boundaries, everyone is terrified of committing.
How confusing. Can't wait for the next series of TOWIE, though!