Kevin Costner has insisted he isn't dating Jewel.

'The Bodyguard' star has been linked to the singer since splitting from his wife of almost two decades Christine Baumgartner - the pair sparked romance rumours late last year when they were spotted spending Thanksgiving together and they were later pictured at a charity event in the British Virgin Islands, but they have both stayed quiet about the gossip until now.

Kevin has now insisted they aren't romantically involved, and he's worried the intense speculation could ruin their friendship. When asked whether he is dating Jewel, he told PEOPLE: "No, Jewel and I are friends. We've never gone out ever.

"She's special, and I don't want - I don't want these rumours to ruin our friendship because that's what we have. She's special to me. She's beautiful enough to go out with."

He went on to explain the rumours all started when he took a trip to Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island for a charity event which Jewel was involved with, and they became friends.

Kevin added to the publication: "Richard Branson had been asking me for years to come down to Necker Island, and so I finally did.

"I'm divorced all of a sudden. I'm a single father, and he's asked me for, you know, 10 years to come down there. I said, 'Well, I guess I'll go down' ...

"She [Jewel] was somebody I just had some tremendous conversations with, and along with Emma [Watson].

"I was on [the plane] with nine people and, and I don't want the press to ruin this for us, because I've had conversations with her, text wise, and she's [Jewel is] so smart, and she's been through a lot herself, and so we have a friendship."

He added: "We don't have a romance, and we've not dated. She's beautiful and smart enough for all those things."

Kevin has been going through an acrimonious divorce from Christine since their split in May 2023, while Jewel was previously married to rodeo champion Ty Murray.