who has toured the world and reached the edge of space. Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry have made it official. The couple were spotted holding hands in Paris last weekend as they left the Crazy Horse cabaret, where they had been celebrating Perry's 41st birthday.

 While they may seem an unlikely duo, Trudeau and Perry – who have both been in the spotlight for the better part of the last decade – have more in common than some might think. And their budding romance is not entirely unprecedented in Canadian political history. The pairing also allows them to change the conversation after a year in which both have faced hits to their reputations.

The relationship is a "rebranding for both of them in a very interesting and unexpected way", says Jose Rodriguez, a professor of communication studies at California State University Long Beach. Partnering with a statesman creates a credible bridge for Perry into civic and philanthropic endeavours, he adds. It expands her audience and access to a politically engaged public, and global organisations outside the music industry.

For Trudeau, 53, the California Girls singer helps his new persona because she is in "a softer arena", Mr Rodriguez says, rather than the tough world of politics. At the core of it is simple human connection, too, observers note. Both are newly single - Trudeau and his wife separated in 2023 - and this is the first post-split high-profile romance for both.

The romance rumours between them began swirling in late July, when the two were spotted having dinner together at Le Violon, a swanky restaurant in the heart of Montreal. Two days later, Trudeau was spotted attending Perry's show in the city, singing along to her hits Firework and Teenage Dream. Then, in mid-October, images of them kissing aboard Perry's yacht off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, went viral. Neither Trudeau nor Perry have publicly spoken about their romance. Their representatives did not respond to the BBC's requests for comments. But before the weekend photos landed, the singer appeared to hint at the relationship during a London tour stop last month. (BBC)