Inside the rumour Dolly Parton is in a secret relationship with her best friend Judy.

Dolly Parton has been married for 52 years, yet one rumour that has remained persistent over the decades, is about her sexuality.

It has long been thought that the country star is actually in a relationship with her lifetime best friend Judy Ogle.

The rumour has been fuelled over the decades by the fact her husband is rarely seen on public outings with her, despite the fact they’ve been married since Mary 30, 1966.

Get up to date with what’s happening in the news today. Post continues after podcast.

The 73-year-old has been left frustrated by the constant murmuring that’s been going on in the background, as she continued to push social boundaries with her empowered feminism and groundbreaking music over the decades.

In a recent interview with The Dan Wootton podcast, she referred to herself as an “old timer” when asked about recent announcements by artists declaring themselves as gender fluid, bisexual or pansexual.

“I don’t want to criticise or judge anyone, but sometimes I think it’s just become kind of fashionable to speak out like that,” she said during the interview.

“I think some of them even say more than who they really are. I think they just want to be a part of the whole movement to make people think they’re so free and all that,” she continued.

Her goddaughter Miley Cyrus was brought up in the chat with Dan Wootton, who has herself identified as gender fluid.

“She does a lot of stuff for effect, and I think a lot of them do,” remarked Dolly.

Dolly on Miley and her now husband. Post continues after video.

Regardless of her comments, Dolly adores being a gay icon, declaring that she would have been a drag queen because she loved all that “flamboyant stuff.”

As for the rumour about Judy, she’s steadfast.

“People say that because they can’t really have a great relationship with women.

“I am not gay, but I have so many gay friends and I accept everybody for who they are,” she said.

It’s not the first time she’s been asked about the rumour, and it won’t be the last. But Dolly is taking it in her stride.

“People love to talk, but sometimes that’s your best publicity,” she quipped.

In May, Dolly will celebrate her 53rd year with husband Carl Dean, a man she describes as her “crazy, funny, the love of her life and her best buddy.”

But she has known Judy for even longer - 64 years in fact.

They met as little kids because their parents were friends, and they grew up together like sisters.

"She was very quiet, I was very outgoing, so we made perfect friends," Dolly said of their friendship.

"She went to the army when we graduated because she needed the insurance and she needed to help her family and I was trying to make it.

"As soon as she got out, she came to Nashville and we've been together ever since," she said.

Their relationship has often been compared to that of Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King who have also dodged persistent rumours they are together.

"If we were gay we would tell you," Gayle famously said in 2009.

Dolly is of the same opinion.

"I am not gay, but if I were I would be the first one running out of the closet," she told PrideSource.com in 2014.