Just good friends, says Block star

Anna Hutchison and Ben Crawford. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

The Block's only single bloke, Ben Crawford, has made the most of his new-found fame by cosying up to sexy Underbelly actress Anna Hutchison at a trendy Fashion Week bash.

The pair looked close as they canoodled at an afterparty for Huffer Clothing at the upmarket new McKenzies entertainment precinct in Takapuna, Auckland, on Friday night.

The Herald on Sunday's Spy gossip section editor Ricardo Simich was there and said it appeared they were more than mates.

"They were together for most of the night talking to people," Simich said. "She was at his side for the whole time, helping him out when it came to taking fan photos with other ladies.

"The pair definitely seemed to have a chemistry and it was cute to see them cuddle."

Crawford, 31, and his sister Libby, 29, won the hit TV show on Thursday when the Takapuna house they renovated sold at auction for $961,000 - $157,000 above valuation. They kept the latter amount and a further $80,000 as winners.

Ben, who was a hit with female viewers on The Block, yesterday played down rumours of a romance with Hutchison, insisting they were "just good friends".

He said he first met the stunning Kiwi actress, 26, through a mutual pal at a party for Starship hospital two weeks ago.

"Look, Anna is really nice and it would be good to stay friends with her," he told the Herald On Sunday. "There is nothing more to it than that - sadly. We were just out having a bit of a laugh."

Meanwhile, the show's second-placed contestants, Richard Boobyer and Sarah Adams, were yesterday issuing a denial of a different kind.

The Hamilton couple, who made $64,000 on the programme, came back to earth when they arrived home and got stuck straight into weeding the garden.

Accompanied by Sarah's mother, Sharon, they shot down rumours circulating on the internet that their four-year relationship was over.

"We first heard about this at the live auction final," Sarah, 20, said. "It is pathetic that people are putting that kind of nasty stuff about on Facebook and other sites, because it simply isn't true."