MANILA, Philippines?Gabby Concepcion, dogged by rumors of a romance with concert queen Pops Fernandez, flatly denied the reports.

Gabby, who was the first to take the hot seat in the new ?Tough 10? segment of ABS-CBN?s ?The Buzz? on Sunday, took the opportunity to clarify his relationship with Pops.

?Narinig ko na yung tsismis na yun eh. Magkaibigan lang kami. Siya ang aking adviser pagdating sa mga concerts, sa mga singing (engagements) [I heard the rumors. We?re just friends. She is my adviser on holding concerts, singing engagements],? Gabby said in a live one-on-one interview with the comebacking ?The Buzz? co-host Kris Aquino, whom he playfully hinted as one of those who had ?left him in tears? in one of the ?difficult? questions the segment had posed. Kris replaced Cristy Fermin, who was suspended over an on-air statement against former actress Nadia Montenegro.

Gabby said that even before he recorded his self-titled album under Warner Music Philippines that spawned several live concert engagements, he had been in close touch with Pops as friends.

?Hindi pa ako kumakanta noon, nagkakasama kami [Even before I sang professionally, we have been spending time together as friends],? Gabby said. ?So siya ang nag-a-advise sa akin. Maraming advice nabigay sa akin si Pops. [So she is just my adviser. Pops has given me a lot of advice.]?

Asked if his relationship with Pops was okay with boyfriend Jomari Yllana, Gabby said the couple was in his dad Rollie?s wake. ?He has nothing to feel awkward about,? Gabby said.

In the interview, Gabby also indicated that he and former wife Sharon Cuneta have settled their differences and now are friends. ?Nag-uusap na kami [We?re now talking to each other].?

He also narrated the events that led to their first-ever one-on-one conversation in years.

?Nung namatay ang dad, tinext ko siya. Sinabi ko nga namatay si dad. Nag-text siya, nag-text din ako. Sabi ko nahirapan ako mag-text, tinawagan ko na lang. [When my dad died, I texted her. I informed her of my dad?s death. She texted back. I also texted her and said I had difficulty texting so I called her.?

Asked if their conversation was long, he said, ?Tama lang [Just right].?

Gabby also belied reports he was returning to the US amid his troubles with talent manager and producer Rose Flaminiano.

?Hindi ako babalik doon (sa US). Pupunta ako ng Europe [I?m not returning to the US. I?ll be going to Europe],? Gabby said referring to a show for ABS-CBN?s The Filipino Channel in Italy next month.

Gabby however said he was spending Christmas in the US with his family for a vacation and would return to the Philippines in January.