CHERYL COLE has had the showbiz world poring over her every move with dancer DEREK HOUGH for weeks – but did they take the final step?

I was never convinced the good-looking pair ever got as steamy between the sheets as they did on the dancefloor. Today I can confirm that really is the case.

A source close to football ace ASHLEY COLE’s ex-wife Cheryl last night revealed: “There was never anything sexual between her and Derek. He’s a close friend and was there for her during a difficult time. That’s it.

“I mean, as if she would move a new boyfriend into her marital home just after splitting with Ashley.

“Ashley was the man of her dreams and it’s going to take her a long time to get over him.”

The first member of Cheryl’s inner circle, Britain’s Got Talent judge AMANDA HOLDEN, who spent time with the, er, “couple”, has confirmed the relationship was never consummated. She told me at the British Olympic Ball on Friday night: “I knew all along that Cheryl and Derek were just friends, not lovers.

“I saw them together and he is very gentlemanly. He is the perfect escort and companion for her but that is it.”

And she added: “I absolutely think that people should stop assuming that Cheryl needs a man to get on with her life.

“She is a strong and feisty girl and she is fine on her own.”

Chez and Dirk were practically joined at the hip following her split with love-rat Ashley back in February.

First they shimmied together, then he was moved into her Surrey mansion, before they hung out in LA. Next was the disastrous so-called “romantic break” to Tanzania when Cheryl caught malaria and Derek kept vigil at her hospital bed as she recovered.

But my source said the close friendship has taken the heat off Cheryl and kept other men at bay.

The source added: “She’s going to need a lot of time to get over Ashley properly. And then finding a new guy is going to be virtually impossible.

“So if people did want to assume she was sleeping with Derek then she wasn’t going to stop them.

“But she never told anyone they were an item of any form.”

Derek’s good pal, fellow dancer Mark Ballas, says he is “dating other people”.

I hope Cheryl feels ready to do the same.

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