Singer Matt Cardle has dismissed online messages he reportedly swapped with the Duchess of Sussex before she met and married Harry as “nothing”.

The 2010 X Factor winner and former Suits actress Meghan Markle were said to have been in touch previously online.

Appearing on ITV’s Lorraine, Cardle said: “It was so little then, and if not nothing, it’s nothing now.”

Insisting it was “absolutely nothing” he added: “It’s just funny what can be made of nothing nowadays.”

The singer will next be seen in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Barbican, playing the role of (Pontius) Pilate.

He said: “It’s a huge thing for me, it’s the total opposite of me.

“You know, anything I’ve done on stage before I could find a little bit of me inside, but with Pilate I think he really is quite the opposite of me, so it’s something to get my teeth into for sure.”

The 36-year-old, who has a longtime girlfriend (Amber Hernaman),  also joked that the talented cast of Jesus Chris Superstar had shown up his vocal talents.

He said: “To get to work with this team, the creative team, just to see how they’re working, any time I’ve done a show before I’ve joined in halfway through, so I’ve never seen a rehearsal.

“I’m on for three scenes, so there’s a lot of time I spend in the rehearsal studio watching what is going on, and watching everyone do their thing, and it is just mesmerising.

“I actually thought I was all right at singing before I joined this cast, turns out I’m pretty average.”

Cardle is no stranger to theatre, having appeared in Strictly Ballroom The Musical and starred in Memphis The Musical.