Olympia Valance throws shade at her new One Direction boyfriend

Neighbours star Olympia Valance has claimed she is open to dating fans after confessing she has enjoyed a string of surreptitious dates with One Direction band member-turned-solo artist Niall Horan.

The gorgeous 24-year-old actress – who is best known for her role as Paige Smith in the Australian soap – revealed she has grown "close" to the Slow Hands hitmaker ever since they met in her native land.

But mere mortals may be in with a shot with Valance, as she claimed that she is "single" and open to dating non-famous folk. Did we just hear Horan squeal?

She said in an interview with The Sun: "I'd never say never to going on a date with a fan. I do like meeting people. I'm a people person. I like to meet someone before dating someone."

Valance is a big hit with online fans, and it's not hard to see why with her array of eye-popping pictures on Instagram.

She said: "I'd never say never to going on a date with a fan. I do like meeting people. I'm a people person. I like to meet someone before dating someone."

Valance added: "I get men asking me out all the time. One of my favourite pastimes is to go through my Instagram messages.

"They're always really funny. I get a lot of marriage proposals. And guys in the UK are always asking when I'll be visiting next. I get all sorts of things but to be honest nothing can shock me anymore. I don't reply to them."

Speaking about her mysterious relationship with Horan, she said: "We've known each other for a couple of years now. He obviously spends a lot of time in Australia with his cousins.

"We just met in Australia and we've been messaging ever since and yeah we have hung out together a bit.

"We are quite close. I see him when I come to London and he sees me when he's in Oz."

The actress – who is Holly Valance's half-sister – shared a snap of herself lying on the grass with Horan on her Instagram story for his birthday last month, writing: "Happy birthday darling @niallhoran".

Valance has claimed she is not in a relationship, however, after splitting from her boyfriend of 15 months Greg Cannell in February.

She said: "I am single at the moment. I've been single pretty much all this year and it's been really nice.

"I've always had problems being on my own before and now I'm actually like, I really love this and just not having anyone to answer to.

"Just being free is great and that's what I really want to be — just being a free spirit."

Valance has been concentrating on her career since she burst onto the scene in 2014, and is now a brand ambassador for lingerie brand Gossard.

She teased upcoming episodes, stating: "At the end of this year my storyline is the end of season storyline, I've just filmed it.

"I think it might be the best stuff I've ever filmed. It is so traumatic and so distressing and so dramatic. For the audience, you're going to cry."

The 24-year-old Horan, meanwhile, is currently promoting his new album Flicker, which includes his new single Too Much To Ask.