Wynne Evans has spoken out in his first interview after changing into embroiled in a Strictly Come Dancing scandal.
The opera singer’s popularity took a beating earlier this 12 months when he was axed from the Strictly Live Tour as a consequence of feedback made involving Janette Manrara.
Wynne, 53, whose professional partner was Katya Jones, later retreated from the highlight, having apologised for his ‘unacceptable’ quip that insinuated a ‘spit roast’ with married tour host Janette.
When he was faraway from the invoice, having already finished a number of performances, a spokesperson from the BBC mentioned: ‘We have made it very clear to Wynne that we don’t tolerate such behaviour on the tour.
‘We were not previously aware of the remark and did not receive any complaints.’
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Wynne, who has confronted a number of different experiences of inappropriate feedback made off-camera in latest months, has now spoken to The Sun concerning the fallout.
The GoCompare frontman – who was additionally caught on digicam laughing after gifting Strictly co-star Jamie Borthwick a sex toy – instructed the publication that he’s ‘not a bad guy’.
He additionally states that he’s ‘not a misogynist’, explaining that ‘spit-roast boy’ was a nickname given to EastEnders actor Jamie, insisting that the quip was a prank that ‘backfired’.
‘It’s been heartbreaking,’ he mentioned of the aftermath. ‘”Spit-roast boy” was a nickname all of us gave Jamie Borthwick as a result of he may contort his legs over his head like a spit-roast rooster.
‘I might be the primary to apologise if I had used it in the double that means of that phrase.
‘But it absolutely wasn’t meant sexually – and the very fact I used “boy,” alright, it’s nuanced, but it surely reveals I used to be speaking to Jamie, NOT Janette.’
Wynne was knowledgeable of the ‘offensive’ language he used when footage got here to mild two weeks later.
He mentioned his pure response was to declare he was ‘so sorry’, which he alleges was interpreted as a ‘formal apology’.
‘When I read the apology within the context of the story as it had been written, I was absolutely horrified,’ he added. ‘And I was embarrassed, and I was ashamed of myself. Because the apology always makes it look worse. It validates the story.’
At the time, when saying his exit from the tour, Wynne apologised to individuals he ‘won’t get to see on the remaining performances’.
‘I’m grateful to my fellow tour gang for all of the superb help they’ve given me,’ he added.
The incident, which occurred throughout a picture session at Birmingham Arena, was not the primary time Wynne raised eyebrows along with his feedback, as, whereas he was on Strictly in late 2024, followers seen an uncomfortable second in which Katya removed his hand from her waist earlier than refusing to high-five him.
He now claims this was a ‘body language experiment’ proposed by Russian professional Katya, to which he ‘naively agreed’.
The TV persona says Katya instructed him: ‘Why don’t we create our personal physique language experiment? Put your hand on my waist; I’ll transfer it again, and let’s see if individuals discover.
‘So we did it, we laughed, we went downstairs to make-up, and my phone explodes, and I look at it… and let me tell you, the body language experiment worked.’
The pair later posted a video on Instagram apologising, which Wynne believes solely amplified the scenario and was the ‘catalyst that started everything’.
Also in the interview, Wynne acknowledges that the sex toy gift was ‘unprofessional’, saying he’d be completely satisfied to attend ‘any language and behavioural course that the BBC want to send [him] on.’
Wynne has received supportive messages from a number of members of the Strictly 2024 solid and the professional dancers, with Janette herself texting him to say: ‘Look after yourself and be strong.’
But whereas he ‘understands’ issues should be investigated by the BBC, particularly given the latest bullying rows engulfing Strictly and the sacking of Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, he admits he was transported again to a place of ‘not wanting to be alive’ in the wake of his axing.
Wynne, who beforehand suffered from melancholy, says he is ‘disappointed’ in the BBC’s perspective in direction of him, on condition that he has spoken brazenly about his psychological well being struggles.
‘But I am feeling a lot stronger now. I’m so grateful for all of the help I’ve had, and I’m simply determined to get again to doing the factor I really like – my BBC Radio Wales present.’
The BBC declined to remark.
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