R&B star Ne-Yo has dismissed rumours that there is anything going on between him and Hayden Panettiere after being spotted holding her hand outside a nightclub in New York on Monday night.

The pair were spotted linked at the paws as they were heading into Butter but Ne-Yo insists the gesture was just one of friendly support: “I was helping her out of the car! She had these shoes - they were cute - but they were torture devices, so I had to help her.”

He explained that the pair only met earlier in the day on Monday while touring four Ronald McDonald Houses around the US: “We’d only known each other for one day. She was hanging out with some friends and invited me to come out.”

But he did like the young actress: “I’m a fan of Hayden’s show Heroes, so I was excited to know she was going to do [these appearances] with me. Hayden is cool people. She’s a little silly. But silly is good.”