JoJo Siwa’s jilted ex’s VERY pointed next move: As her and Chris Hughes canoodle, Kath Ebbs’s intriguing new connection revealed by BETH HALE… and the timing is perfect

The contrast could hardly be more stark. Tucked away in a Surrey love nest, American singer, dancer and all-round social media star JoJo Siwa is tenderly cutting strawberries into heart shapes and assembling a red-themed food board (courtesy of her local branch of Sainsbury’s) for her new boyfriend, ex-Love Islander Chris Hughes.

A more detailed depiction of contented domesticity, it would be hard to envisage.

And 3,500 miles away, JoJo’s ex Kath Ebbs, the non-binary Australian influencer is partying up a storm at New York City Pride, pictured in a series of embraces with fellow Pride goers – who included, incidentally another of JoJo’s exes, YouTuber Avery Cyrus who was briefly in a relationship with the Dance Moms star in 2022.

‘First NYC Pride got me in my feels,’ Kath, 27, told their 189,000 followers on TikTok earlier this week.

The DJ, line-dancing enthusiast and actor, who sprang to international attention when cast as the first ever non-binary character in Aussie soap Neighbours, gushed: ‘Community is my resting place and I’ve never been more grateful for it.

‘Lesbians are the leaders and protectors of our community… today and everyday [sic] I honour their strength, resilience and resistance. What a blessing to be gay!!!’

In one clip shared to social media Kath and Avery can be seen dancing to the Hilary Duff song What Dreams Are Made Of and in another uploaded by Avery a few hours later the pair are dancing and lip syncing to the PinkPantheress track ‘Illegal’, which features the lyric ‘is this illegal? It feels illegal’.

JoJo Siwa assembled red-themed snack plate on TikTok for her new boyfriend, ex-Love Islander Chris Hughes 

These two prominent members of the JoJo ex club must certainly have had much to talk about when they met on the streets of New York.

But to capture – and share – their moment of connection on social media, feels pointed to say the least.

So who – or rather what – has caused such a polarisation in the images uploaded on the ‘socials’ Gen Z lives by?

Will it have a long-term effect on JoJo’s career which began when she was just a child and has now seen her amass a £14.9million fortune from TV and commercial work including a line of giant hair accessories known as JoJo Bows?

And how on earth at a time of extraordinary national and international turmoil has speculation about the sexuality of two influencers whose names barely register with anyone over the age of 30, and whose own relationship lasted a mere four months, prompted such scrutiny?

Kath, viewers of Celebrity Big Brother may recall, was dumped two months ago in the most humiliating way at the reality show’s wrap party after JoJo grew close to fellow contestant Chris Hughes, the man for whom she is now tenderly preparing romantic fruit platters.

The breakup of any relationship is hard, but to have flown 10,000 miles to the UK to be publicly rejected must have stung.

JoJo’s worldwide fame (she has 46million TikTok followers), and the fact that she was embraced so wholeheartedly by the LGBTQ community made the split headline news across the globe.

Nebraska-born JoJo found fame starring on US reality show Dance Moms

JoJo had been in a relationship with Kath Ebbs for four months when she entered the Big Brother house in April

And just when the dust might have been beginning to settle, she said in a world exclusive interview with You Magazine last week that she had felt ‘pressured’ by the LGBTQ community and ex-partners to define herself as a lesbian.

‘The truth is, sexuality is fluid,’ she declared, while revealing Chris was ‘the first boy I’ve ever really gone out with’.

In a further twist JoJo was due to appear at a two day event at Chicago Pride last week, before her name was removed from the programme.

When contacted by the Mail the event’s organiser Annie Klujian declined to explain whether JoJo had pulled out or if the invitation had been withdrawn, saying only: ‘I won’t be able to answer any of your questions about anything.’

Enquiries to representatives for Kath, Avery and other friends and family were also met with silence this week.

Whisper it – but could this very modern love story could even end up benefitting the three protagonists financially?

Certainly it is hard not to imagine that multimillionaire JoJo might be worried about the knock-on effect on her popularity – and commercial appeal.

Brand and culture expert Nick Ede notes that the star is now opening herself up to a new demographic of fans. ‘The dramatic split between JoJo and Kath has played out in public and I am sure it will carry on for a while. JoJo’s fan base are very loyal and they want her to be happy.’

JoJo and Chris quickly formed a close relationship in the house – with the ex-Love Islander even referring to her as his girlfriend

Kath poses with another of JoJo’s exes, the YouTuber Avery Cyrus, at New York City Pride

And in the world of public sharing, where private lives are monetised, it seems there may indeed be a value on that happiness – in the currency of social media followers.

To recap, Nebraska-born JoJo (who was nine when her dance teacher mother Jessalyn signed her up to a spin-off of the reality TV show Dance Moms) had been in a relationship with Kath for about four months when JoJo flew to the UK to join the Big Brother house in April.

They had, according to Kath, a curly-headed blonde and one of four siblings who grew up in a Catholic household in Sydney, discussed marriage before the series began and were, apparently, madly in love. 

Kath’s Instagram account includes photographs of the pair looking besotted, including one of them embracing with the caption: ‘To one of the kindest, most courageous, resilient & hilarious people I have ever met! What a blessing to share a little piece of life with you.’

JoJo’s, meanwhile, includes a Valentine’s Day video, in which she dances across a bedroom, decked with red heart balloons with a red rose between her teeth. Kath, who is presumably filming, cannot be seen, but can be heard laughing at JoJo’s comic turn.

But just two days into JoJo’s Big Brother stint she had a bruising encounter with 72-year-old actor Mickey Rourke, who grilled her about her sexuality, then told her: ‘If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay any more.’

He subsequently announced his intention to ‘vote the lesbian out’, before he was warned by the show’s producers about his behaviour and ultimately kicked out himself.

But, by far the more magnetic on-screen relationship was between JoJo and Gloucestershire farmer’s son Chris Hughes, 32. The apparent chemistry was television catnip.

By day 16 inside the Big Brother house, JoJo told another contestant she now felt she was ‘queer’ rather than a lesbian, fuelling the flames of speculation still further.

Kath found fame when they were cast as the first non-binary character on Neighbours 

In what became a real-life soap opera, the twists came thick and fast as Kath – who first found fame after joining Neighbours as Asher Nesmith in April 2022 for three episodes – could merely watch the blossoming friendship unfold on the small screen.

It is somewhat ironic that Kath is also a self-confessed reality TV devotee and fan of Love Island UK and once said: ‘I love reality TV so much that somehow I manifested a girlfriend that is the queen of reality TV.

‘We were friends and then we turned into lovers ‘cos we would go line dancing together all the time,’ said Kath, in February, just two months before another of JoJo’s platonic friendships, this time with Chris, would turn into something more, on national television.

Chris Hughes and JoJo’s flirty exchanges in the Big Brother house – including hot tub scenes, massages, JoJo licking chocolate off Chris’s shorts, and Chris calling her his girlfriend – raised eyebrows among viewers.

After flying to the other side of the world for the wrap party, Kath posted a heartfelt (now deleted) video on social media the next day.

‘[I] went to the after party with my, I guess now, ex, crazy thing to say, and was dumped in the party,’ Kath said.

JoJo and Chris later went on holiday to Mexico and posted cosy pictures together, but when asked about the nature of their relationship would say ‘we’re platonic soulmates’.

In one social media post she uploaded footage of her and Chris dancing with each other – wearing the same blue Mickey Mouse t-shirt she wore to tango towards Kath, rose in mouth, for Valentine’s Day.

It was no surprise when the pals revealed that something deeper had blossomed.

Kath’s only public pronouncements on the new JoJo and Chris love match have been short and to the point.

When one follower on instagram wrote in early June ‘I’m happy for JoJo,’ Kath replied: ‘Same!’

So where does that leave the trio at the heart of this bizarre saga?

Sources told the Mail’s Katie Hind that ITV would like to sign JoJo and Chris for their own show, similar to the fly-on-the-wall documentary that Chris did with his Love Island ex Olivia Attwood back in 2017.

There is said to be interest Stateside, too.

Some believe endorsement deals will follow and that however painful the break-up between JoJo and Kath has been, the forging of a new relationship with Chris has boosted JoJo’s brand.

According to Nick Ede: ‘We are seeing a new mature side to JoJo and this can only be helpful for her career.’

For Chris too, he says: ‘This happy ending and meeting on a reality show is the stuff of legends. It looks like this relationship is here to stay and in the process make them a lot of money.

And perhaps most encouragingly for jilted, yet dignified Kath he says: ‘Many people didn’t really know much about Kath Ebbs but the split and how it occurred has shone a spotlight on her. More people are following her and more people want to know how she is doing post split. She too may appear on a dating show looking for love and brands will want to work with her as her platform grows.

Kath is now back in Australia next and will doubtless update social media with footage from a whirlwind of planned ‘Cowboy C*untry’ queer line dancing events.

Expect more summer fruits and savoury snacks from JoJo and Chris.