Actor Rebecca Humphries has penned an open letter urging women not to stay in controlling relationships after pictures emerged of her boyfriend, Seann Walsh, kissing his partner from BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Comedian Walsh and his dancing partner Katya Jones, who is married to fellow Strictly professional Neil Jones, have both issued public apologies after they were pictured kissing on a night out.
The photographs published at the weekend showed the pair kissing and dancing in the street, with an onlooker claiming they were “snogging like a pair of teenagers.”
They each deny having an affair and say that the kiss was a drunken one-off which they regret.
In a tweet addressing the situation, Humphries announced the end of her five-year relationship with Walsh and accused him of dismissing her suspicions that something was untoward going on by calling her a “psycho.”
"My name is Rebecca Humphries and I am not a victim,” the actor writes.
“I wasn’t sure whether to respond to events from the past week, but I feel the narrative has missed a couple of crucial elements that I would like to clear up.
“It’s incredibly good of Sean(n) and Katya to apologise in the media. I have received nothing, other than the support of my family, friends, and a host of strangers on the internet who all wanted to make sure I was OK.”
Humphries goes on to explain that, while she has been received offers to sell her side of the story, she has decided to do so on her own terms.
She also revealed that the images were taken on her birthday on 3 October, as she sat home alone while Walsh text to say he and Jones were going for “one innocent drink.”
“We spoke and I told him, not for the first time, that his actions over the past three weeks had led me to believe something inappropriate was going on,” Humphries continued.
“He aggressively, and repeatedly, called me a psycho/nuts/mental. As he has done countless times throughout our relationship when I’ve questioned his inappropriate, hurtful behaviour."
Despite the upset, Humphries insisted that the incident has served as a reminder that she is “a strong, capable person who is now free; and no victim.”
She also called upon women in controlling relationships to confide in friends and believe in themselves.
“I have a voice and will use it by saying this to any woman out there who deep down feels worthless and trapped with a man they love: ‘Believe in yourself and your instincts. It’s more than lying. It’s controlling. Tell some very close friends who, if they’re anything like my wonderful network, will swoop in and take care of the logistics and of you,’” she added.
“It’s important also to recognise that in these situations those who hold power over you are insecure and fragile, and their need for control comes from a place of vulnerability.
“I think it certainly does in Sean’s case. Despite everything, I hope he gets what he wants from this. I’m not sorry I took the cat though. Love, Rebecca.”
