Opera singer Wynne Evans has hit back at claims that he’s a misogynist after he was forced to apologise for using “inappropriate” language during a Strictly tour photocall.
The Welsh tenor, known for his Go.Compare insurance adverts and BBC Radio Wales show, was on tour with the live show after participating in the BBC One programme with Katya Jones last year.
Evans, according to The Mail on Sunday, allegedly made sexual remarks about Janette Manrara during a cast photocall.
Evans issued a statement apologising and said: “I’ve agreed with the BBC that I’ll take some time out from my radio show and the Strictly Live tour, as well as my other public commitments, to prioritise my wellbeing.
“I am deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions have caused, and plan to take this time for self-reflection.”
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, he claimed he had not seen the statement apologising for the remark.
He told the newspaper the comment was not sexual or directed to Manrara, but was a nickname for fellow contestant, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick.
He said: “I didn’t see the statement. Old Spit-roast Boy was a nickname for Jamie Borthwick. I’m not a bad guy, I’m not a misogynist, I’m not any of these things.”
“It’s been heartbreaking. ‘Spit-roast boy’ was a nickname we all gave Jamie Borthwick because he could contort his legs over his head like a spit-roast chicken.
“But it absolutely wasn’t meant sexually – and the fact I used ‘boy’, all right it’s nuanced, but it shows I was talking to Jamie, not Janette.
“And, of course, your natural reaction is, if you’re told you’ve offended someone, you say, ‘God, I’m so sorry’.
“And so I went, ‘I’m so sorry’. And that was taken as a formal apology, so the press team issued a statement. I didn’t see it.
“When I read the apology within the context of the story as it had been written, I was absolutely horrified.
“It’s been a truly awful past few months, having to keep my counsel and let the narrative that I’m some sort of weirdo run.
“I’m not a misogynist, I’m not any of these things.”
Evans was also criticised when a video showed him place his hand on professional dancer Jones’s waist, which she moved, during last year’s Strictly Come Dancing competition.
He claimed this was a “body language experiment” from TikTok that Jones had suggested, and added: “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.”
Later Evans and Jones apologised claiming that it had been a “joke”. The singer performed in the 25th anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera and also won 2023’s Celebrity MasterChef.
He was eliminated during the Blackpool week of Strictly last year.
BBC Studios, which produces the Strictly tour, said: “Any statement issued on Wynne Evans’ behalf was fully approved by Wynne Evans. Wynne posted his own statement on Instagram in which he apologised.”
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