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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lisa McLoughlin

Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder make joint red carpet appearance at TV Baftas after dating speculation

Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder graced the red carpet together at the 2024 TV BAFTAs on Sunday after the pair sparked dating speculation among fans.

The presenters were both elegantly dressed as they arrived at the glamorous event which saw Happy Valley and Top Boy win big on the night.

Clark, 35, exuded sophistication in a black tuxedo while Rinder, 45, donned a black suit, crisp white shirt and a black tie.

Not only did the pair pose together on the red carpet, they also joined forces on stage to present the Soap Award at the event in London's Royal Festival Hall.

Earlier in the night, they were seen with arms wrapped around each other as they got in a lift to the grand hall.

The pals pictured on the TV Baftas red carpet (Getty Images)

Their appearance comes after Rinder caused fans to go into a tizzy over at a possible romance between the pair just hours earlier.

First, Clark, who had jetted back to the UK following his Eurovision hosting duties, shared a sweet image with his pal plugging their new BBC Two travel show, Rob & Rylan's Grand Tour.

However the TV legal eagle sparked speculation that their was more than friendship between the duo as he reshared the tweet and penned: “Friendship may and often does, grow into love. Byron .. See you alongside him 9pm tonight.” 

The quote from poet Lord Byron ties into their travel show as they trace Byron's journey, two centuries after his passing.

In the original post, which sees them smiling in a vineyard, Clark penned: “Tonight our new show starts at 9pm on BBC Two and iPlayer...

“It was so special. This man has become family to me because of this experience. It really is a show like no other and we're so proud of it. Hope you enjoy x”.

After Rinder shared his post, fans began speculating about a possible romance with one X user writing: “Please be a couple, please be a couple, please be a couple...

“The perfect couple in the perfect place.. Watch this space!... With you two in it it's got to be good, I bet your quite mischievous when your together.”

However, their reps have confirmed that there’s no truth to the speculation, explaining Rinder’s post was simply promoting their new show. 

The duo have both described their new three-part series as a "heartbreak holiday” after enduring painful divorces. Clark split from Dan Neal in 2021 while Rinder divorced barrister Seth Cumming, in 2018.

On Rob & Rylan's Grand Tour, the pair follow the paths of 18th- and 19th-century English aristocrats who ventured beyond British society to find freedom and excitement on the traditional upper-class journey.

In particular, the TV stars follow the most famous Grand Tourist of all, poet Lord Byron, on the 200th anniversary of his death, where he travelled to Venice in 1816 and then on to Florence and Rome, fleeing a scandalous divorce caused partly because he slept with his half-sister.

“I don't often compare myself to Byron, but I too am a divorcee,” said Rinder, best known as formidable Judge Rinder on his ITV courtroom show. “And so is Rylan. And we're both looking for a new start too.”

Meanwhile, Clark said their TV trip had brought them closer, sharing: “You see the evolution of our friendship. We were just mates before but now we're friends.

“We've both been through pain recently so we're getting away from it on the original package holiday, the Grand Tour, which is about experiencing new things.”

The Standard contacted representatives for Rob Rinder and Rylan Clark for a comment.

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