X-Factor Gaiety: Finalist Craig Colton 'is Dating Danyl Johnson'

X-Factor's current season gets spicier after media reports emerged that finalist Craig Colton is dating Danyl Johnson, a former finalist in the 2009 series of the show.

Danyl, who is a bisexual, was reportedly spending "close time" with Craig for the last few weeks in the backstage at the reality show, the Sun has reported.

The newspaper also said the pair were seen kissing on the London's South Bank on Sunday night.

After the gala dinner of "Children In Need" at Manchester, Colton, who is gay, had supposedly rushed to meet his lover for a shopping spree. Craig, 22, had tweeted the next day: "Had a great night with my pal @DanylAJohnson," the report said. The duo later went to the West End to watch "Ghost the Musical" and sped off in Johnson's motor.

"They're very much the item. They've become inseparable and text non-stop when they're not together," a source has told the Sun. "Everyone thought they were just swapping war stories from their experiences on the show, but it turns out it's blossomed."

However, Craig has denied the media reports and said the pair share a professional relationship.

"It's been said that it was a date - it wasn't a date," the Liverpool singer told the DigitalSpy. "He (Danyl) came to the show a few weeks ago. He's been working on his new album with some amazing people."

The ex-biscuit factory worker also said: "They were the kind of people that I would want to work with if I did anything, so we met up and he (Danyl) showed me some of his tracks. They sound amazing. He was showing me some of them and hopefully if I leave the show I can work with some of the people that he's teamed up with."

But, Craig, who has never hidden his sexuality, sang a different tune when he said that spending time with Danyl made him feel "at ease".

"I think Danyl's album next year is going to do really, really well and it's a nice peace of mind to know it's not all about being the winner," Craig told DigitalSpy. "So it helps a lot being around those types of people."

Meanwhile, another X-Factor contestant Scouser Marcus Collins, Craig's rival and friend, has not taken the Craig-Danyl relationship very well. "Marcus has told Craig he needs to concentrate on his performances and not get distracted. He's worried for his friend," a source told the Sun.