Strictly Come Dancing’s Wynne Evans breaks silence over reaction to ‘hand incident’ with pro partner Katya Jones

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Wynne Evans says he’s ‘heartbroken’ by the response to skilled companion Katya Jones shifting his hand from her waist throughout Saturday night time’s dwell present.

The pair have each apologised, saying the second was a ‘joke’ after a clip displaying the incident was broadly shared on social media.

The controversy is over a second when Wynne appeared to slip his hand throughout Katya’s waist, earlier than she pushed him off. Later within the present, Evans supplied his companion a excessive 5, which she ignored earlier than turning again to the digicam, stone-faced. 

It comes amid heightened scrutiny of the favored BBC One dancing present following celebrities being outspoken about their remedy on the long-running collection, which is at present celebrating its twentieth anniversary 12 months.

Opera singer Wynne, 52, recognized for the Go Examine insurance coverage adverts, mentioned indignant response from followers was ‘tedious’ and admitted the ‘joke’ was ‘not humorous’.

He informed BBC Radio Wales: ‘I am completely heartbroken by the issues which were written about me within the final day.

‘It is not good to dwell in that point, however principally Katya and I are actually, actually shut and we’re actually good mates, and on Saturday night time we made a silly joke. 

‘It was a silly joke that went improper, okay, we thought it was humorous. It wasn’t humorous. It has been completely misinterpreted.

‘Every little thing’s on Katya’s socials. She’s talked about it. She’s defined that it was a joke. She wasn’t offended within the least. She would not really feel uncomfortable.

‘We have a superb friendship, a fully tight friendship, and I am sorry if anyone was offended by it, however it was a joke and yeah, that is all there may be, there isn’t any actual story, actually.

‘And I really feel bizarre apologising as a result of I really feel like I’ve not likely achieved something.’

He agreed he had ‘misjudged it’, when interviewed on Radio Wales Breakfast earlier than beginning his personal present on the station, and confirmed he was ‘completely nonetheless up for’ Strictly.

He mentioned: ‘I am having the perfect time of my life. I simply don’t desire this to be the bit that individuals bear in mind.’

The radio presenter additionally mentioned he was discovering the furore ‘tedious’, and mentioned folks can tune in to listen to the pair talk about it on spin-off present Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two.

Wynne requested: ‘I’ve not seen anybody [getting close], are you getting near anybody?’

On Sunday, Wynne and 35-year-old Russian dancer Katya launched a video on Instagram saying they had been ‘simply messing round within the Clauditorium on Saturday night time and simply need to express regret. It was a foolish joke’.

And replying to a number of customers on X, previously Twitter, the dancer mentioned: ‘You picked up on our joke!’ 

In one other second on Saturday night time, Jones appeared to not need to excessive 5 her movie star companion.

A caption alongside their video defined that ‘excessive 5’s is a operating joke’.

However viewers of Sunday night time’s outcomes present weren’t satisfied by the reason, claiming that they had noticed Katya showing to ‘glare’ at her movie star companion. 

In the course of the present, Claudia requested Wynne how he felt, noting he seemed shocked.

Wynne replied: ‘I’m shocked as a result of I did not suppose I might survive week one so to be right here after having achieved a tango is basically thrilling.

‘And I had such an excellent time and thankyou to Katya’s intelligent choreography.’

As Wynne gave his reply followers noticed that Katya remained stony confronted and even appeared to wince because the opera singer evaluated his efficiency.

A Strictly supply mentioned: ‘Wynne and Katya have confirmed that their interactions within the Clauditorium had been foolish jokes that they had deliberate collectively and have apologised to anybody who could have misinterpreted them.

‘They addressed them on Wynne’s Instagram, the place their apology might be discovered.

‘Katya want to make clear additional that she was not offended by Wynne and was not made to really feel uncomfortable within the least.

‘The welfare crew have checked in on the pair and there are not any additional actions deliberate.’

The duo had their highest rating thus far on Saturday, with the judges giving them 34 factors for his or her tango to Abba’s Cash, Cash, Cash on Saturday.

Posting on Sunday after the outcomes had been revealed, Katya mentioned on Instagram: ‘Thanks a lot in your variety help everybody! 

‘We’re so excited for the following dance. Every single day Wynne makes me smile and snigger, however each Saturday he leaves me completely speechless when he takes the dance to a different degree!

‘It’s soo spectacular and I can’t wait to create one other quantity so that you can carry out!’

Strictly’s Wynne Evans, 52, requested Katya Jones, 35, if she’s ‘getting near anybody’ on the BBC present throughout a latest interview collectively

Shocked, Katya replied: ‘Me?’ Wynne mentioned: ‘Yeah. I do not know, I’ve not seen you getting shut [with anyone], although you might be’

Chaperones have been put in place on Strictly throughout rehearsals for this 12 months after an evaluation was launched by the BBC following Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington making complaints about her 2023 skilled dance companion, Giovanni Pernice.

The BBC apologised to Abbington and mentioned: ‘Now we have assessed the complaints and we now have upheld some, however not all, of the complaints made.’

Pernice has at all times denied the allegations, and mentioned he was ‘completely happy’ after the investigation cleared him of nearly all of abuse allegations.

Outlining the present’s new responsibility of care measures in September, the BBC mentioned: ‘In July, we launched new measures for coaching and rehearsals, that are in place for this 12 months’s present.

‘These included a manufacturing crew member current throughout coaching room rehearsals always; two new roles on the present devoted to welfare help – a celeb welfare producer and an expert dancer welfare producer (each began work in August); and extra coaching for the skilled dancers, manufacturing crew and crew’.