Stephen Bear insists he and Charlotte Crosby are "just friends" now.
The on/off couple were recently said to have rekindled their relationship, but the 27-year-old reality TV star has admitted they are not back together and that it is the "best way" for them to be pals rather than lovers.
He said: "We’re just friends, I’m single, she’s single, we’re just mates and I think that’s the best way for now.
"She’s cool, she’s funny, she makes me laugh, she was a great girlfriend, but it just didn’t work and we broke up, and now I don’t want to rush into anything.
"We message each other just once in a while, we don’t talk about anything that serious, but we get on."
Bear insists he is not ready to start dating again after being with Charlotte for nearly a year because he would feel "disrespectful".
He said: "Never say never I suppose, but for now we’re just talking and just friends, we just talk about general stuff, whatever.
"It’s always sad when couples split though. I think people loved the love story, but in reality all couples have arguments and nothing’s perfect. We’ll always be friends though.
"I’m just not ready to date at the moment, to sit next to anyone and start talking to them, or start ringing people up and asking to do something.
"I was in a relationship for so long, I find it quite disrespectful to start dating this soon."
Instead of dating girls again, Bear wants to focus on learning a new language.
He added to The Sun Online: "All I wanna do is learn Spanish, I know it sounds crazy, but I want to self-improve."
Stephen Bear and Charlotte Crosby ‘just friends’
