Ed Sheeran and Nicole Scherzinger 'in the early stages of dating,' friends say

British singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran is said to be dating The Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger. While they have yet to comment on the rumors, sources close to the singers have reportedly confirmed that the singers have gotten close since Scherzinger’s split from Lewis Hamilton.

A friend of the British singer told The Sun that Sheeran has been on several dates with Scherzinger. However, whether their dates could lead to anything serious is still uncertain.

“As far as he’s concerned they were in the early stages of dating and he’s been open about it with close friends and colleagues. It may not develop beyond those dates but they’re definitely tight,” the friend revealed.

A source close to Scherzinger also told the publication that the 37-year-old thinks of Sheeran as her male version and that they are “extremely close.”

It’s believed the singers started dating following Scherzinger's split from long-time boyfriend Hamilton. The Pussycat doll's unnamed friend told The Sun that it was Sheeran’s songs that helped her get through the breakup.

“She was drawn to him over the last few months through his music. When she split from Lewis, she was heartbroken but ended up playing Ed’s songs on a loop,” the friend revealed.

The 24-year-old even invited Scherzinger as one of his special backstage guests during his show at Wembley Stadium on July 12. After the show, Scherzinger reportedly shared their photo on Instagram along with the caption, “Okay okay you win @edsheeran, you're taller." However, the photo has since been deleted from her Instagram account.

Days later Sheeran took Scherzinger to The Station Hotel, one of his favourite pubs in his hometown in Suffolk. ITV News shared a photo of the pair with the pub’s manager, Hannah Peck. This is said to be the second time that the “Thinking Out Loud” singer has brought his celebrity friends to the pub, after bringing close friend Taylor Swift to the establishment in December 2013. A friend of Scherzinger said the singer loved her time at the pub with Sheeran because the date seemed “so real.”

However, Sheeran’s representative has reportedly denied any romantic relationship between him and Scherzinger. Scherzinger and her rep have yet to comment on the reports.

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