Wynne Evans, the opera singer and radio presenter currently competing in Strictly Come Dancing, has expressed his heartbreak following criticism over what he described as a “misjudged” inside joke. The incident occurred during the live show on Saturday, 12th October, when Evans was seen placing his hand on his professional dance partner, Katya Jones’ stomach, sparking some backlash.
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales ahead of his show, Evans addressed the situation. When asked about his weekend by colleague Dot Davies, he said, “Firstly, I would say that I’m absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day, and it’s hard. It’s not nice to live in that time.”
Evans went on to clarify that his actions were part of a joke that both he and Jones found humorous but acknowledged it had been “misinterpreted”. He explained, “Basically, Katya and I are really, really close, and we’re really good friends. On Saturday night, we made a stupid joke. It was a stupid joke that went wrong. We thought it was funny. It wasn’t funny. It has been totally misinterpreted.”
Jones, who has also addressed the situation on her social media, confirmed that she was not offended by the gesture, and that their friendship remains strong. “Everything’s on Katya’s socials. She’s explained it was a joke. She wasn’t offended in the least. She doesn’t feel uncomfortable,” Evans said. “We’ve got a brilliant friendship, an absolutely tight friendship, and I’m sorry if anybody was offended by it, but it was just a joke, and that’s all there is.”
Despite his apology, Evans admitted that he felt awkward for having to explain himself, adding, “There is no real story, really, and I feel weird apologising because I feel like I’ve not really done anything.”
During the radio segment, Davies asked if he had misjudged the situation, to which Evans responded, “Yeah, I misjudged it. You know me… I’m always the one that if there’s a joke, I’m usually at the centre of it.” Davies light-heartedly noted that the pair were “quite naughty” when together, joking that if they were in school, “you would probably be separated.”
Evans, known for his humour, agreed: “Yeah, she’d be sitting on one side. I’d be sitting on the other.”
Despite the controversy, Evans is eager to move forward and focus on the competition. Reflecting on his performance on Saturday, where he placed second for his Tango, he said it was a “massive high” for him. “I just remembered all the notes she gave me, and we just danced like your life depends upon it,” he said.
Evans, who admitted to feeling embarrassed the first time he danced in front of an audience, spoke about the vulnerability of performing live on Strictly. “It’s a difficult situation because you’re there, and I’m not a dancer. The first time I stood on that Strictly dance floor, I was embarrassed to dance in front of people. And now, you’re going out in front of millions of people on a Saturday night, and you’re allowing yourself to be vulnerable. It’s been brilliant.”
He also praised fellow contestant Jamie for receiving a score of 34 in the same show, sharing his excitement over their achievements.
While Evans is keen to leave the row behind, he expressed concern that the incident could overshadow his time on the show. “I’m having the best time of my life. I just don’t want this to be what people remember,” he added.
Evans remains committed to the competition, asking for continued support from fans as he moves forward with the show.
