De Laurentiis 'denies John Mayer romance'

Giada De Laurentiis has rubbished claims that she was ever romantically involved with singer John Mayer.

The Food Network host told Redbook that her relationship with husband Todd Thompson was damaged by press allegations that she carried on an affair with Mayer.

"The John Mayer incident was completely unexpected," she said. "I was shocked. And not so much for me, but for my husband and family... Todd was embarrassed that his family in Michigan would see it and think, 'What is going on over there in Hollywood?'"

De Laurentiis further explained that the rumours were particularly hurtful because she had only briefly met Mayer on one occasion.

"What made it all even more surprising is that I haven't had any contact with John Mayer in three years. You know how you'll briefly get introduced to somebody?

"Maybe we chatted for five minutes, but I wouldn't consider that intimate... I think the only things that could have possibly have tied us together is that we were at the same hotel that weekend in question - which, by the way, my husband was with me there as well," she said.

The TV personality and Thompson have been married for seven years and welcomed their first child Jade Marie in 2008.