Rumors that Ariana Grande and her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater have split up continue to circulate. As rumors that the contentious pairing, who went viral after kindling a romance shortly after the demise of their respective marriages last year, have parted ways, sources told TMZ this week that the opposite is true. Several media outlets pointed out that the two were seen standing far away from each other as the Wicked cast struck a pose for the paparazzi at the UK premiere in London on Monday night, prompting speculations of a split. However, several witnesses told the outlet that the two were affectionate with each other backstage as they held hands. The two also reportedly make time for each other despite their busy schedules, and the songstress allegedly likes to stay at home and spend time with her beau when she's not touring. “Ariana and Ethan are still a couple but they’ve seen the chatter online and it’s not been easy," a source said, per The Sun. “They were both at the ­Leicester Square premiere and the ­after-party at Brasserie Zedel but made sure they weren’t seen together. Obviously it fuels the ­speculation around them but they don’t want their relationship to play out in public. When Ariana left the after-party, she went back to her hotel suite. Not long after, Ethan was taken there and went up to see Ariana to spend time with her. They are aware of what is being said and it’s not easy for them but they’re doing the best they can to snatch some quiet moments when no one is watching.” Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's romance explored: Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater met on the set of their Broadway musical-turned-movie in 2022 and sparked rumors of a romance the following year. The Daily Mail has confirmed that the latter was still married to his high school sweetheart and the mother of his son, Lilly Jay, at the time. A potential wedding was reportedly in the talks, though this has since been put on hold. Sources told the outlet that the two have been "on and off" for months. However, Slater dispelled the notion when he took to Instagram just this week to commemorate the release of NBC's special Wicked: One Wonderful Night. In his string of pictures, his girlfriend was noticeably present. In July 2023, when it was confirmed that the two were dating, Ariana Grande had just parted ways with her ex-husband, Dalton Gomez. Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more.