Strictly star Wynne Evans ‘taking action after reputation is left in tatters’
It's claimed he won't be going down without a fight.
Strictly Come Dancing star Wynne Evans is reportedly taking action against the BBC after believing his reputation has been left ‘in tatters’.
The GoCompare opera singer, 53, was axed from the competition’s live tour after he was caught on camera during a photo call with other members of the cast making an ‘inappropriate comment’ where he joked about having a threesome – or ‘spit roast’ – with Strictly presenter Janette Manrara.
He was later told by BBC bosses that such behaviour would not be tolerated and issued an apology ‘for the pain my inappropriate action caused’.
Evans also said he would be taking a break from the public eye for ‘self-reflection’ and to ‘prioritise my wellbeing’.
He has since remained out of the spotlight, but it is now claimed he won’t be going down without a fight.
A source has claimed Evans wants to contest the dismissal, saying: ‘Wynne’s reputation has been left in tatters and he wants to try to seek some recompense.
‘He said he is going to a tribunal with the BBC and will fight with every breath in his body.’
Evans issued an apology ‘for the pain my inappropriate action caused’ (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock) He had been dancing with Katya Jones before being axed from the live tour (Picture: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)They added to The Sun: ‘Wynne feels he has been treated unfairly and won’t go down without a fight.
‘As well as an unfair dismissal, Wynne thinks he has a case for loss of earnings, as well as a potential breach of contract.’
They went on to say that Evans is being advised by a legal team and reckons he’ll have a strong case to take forward.
Insiders also claimed to the publication that Evans’ ‘spit roast’ comment was not aimed at Manrara, as had been reported, and that he feels that was known by others present at the photo call.
It’s been claimed Evans ‘feels he has been treated unfairly and won’t go down without a fight’ (Picture: PA Wire)A source said: ‘He is heartbroken by how this all played out and is upset that no one has spoken out to defend him publicly.
‘He knows the language was unacceptable but, ultimately, the meaning behind what he said is not out there.
‘It was an “in” joke. It didn’t offend anyone and no one complained. Wynne feels badly let down by the whole process and some of his co-stars who he was incredibly close to.’
One source added that Evans feels like his sacking was ‘a knee-jerk reaction’ to public commentary about the comment, and that he thinks he’s been ‘thrown under the bus’.
Evans reportedly feels like his sacking was ‘a knee-jerk reaction’ to public commentary about the comment (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)It had previously been reported that Evans’ co-stars were ‘rallying around him’ and Manrara had ‘nothing but affection’ for him.
She has yet to publicly comment on the situation.
After the incident, Evans released a statement after he was given a warning over his disgusting ‘joke’ by tour producers, saying: ‘My language was inappropriate and unacceptable for which I sincerely apologise.’
He had been on tour with the likes of Tasha Ghouri, Dianne Buswell, Vito Coppola and Nikita Kuzmin when the obscene comment referencing threesomes was made.
In the video, it appeared he was talking to EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, who apparently ‘winced’ at the comment, while Manrara stood between them, though it was unclear if she heard.
It appeared he was talking to EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick, with Janette Manrara stood between them (Picture: Anthony Devlin/Hogan Media/Shutt) Evans said he would be ‘taking some time out’ from his public commitments (Picture: Instagram)Following the allegations, Evans wrote on Instagram: ‘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 action have caused, and plan to take this time for self-reflection.
‘Apologies to those I won’t get to see at the remaining performances and I’m grateful to my fellow tour gang for all the amazing support they have given me.’
This came after Evans sparked controversy with his former pro dance partner Katya Jones during their time on the live shows, when they were forced to address a ‘silly joke’ he made.
Evans has remained out of the spotlight since (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire) Evans and Jones were forced to address a ‘silly joke’ when he was caught on camera with his hand on her waist (Picture: BBC)In front of around six million live viewers, he had placed his hand on her waist and kept reaching it further around her midriff until she removed it with a smile on her face.
After sparking fury over the incident, Evans and Jones repeatedly denied that he engaged in any sort of ‘inappropriate’ behaviour or upset her at all.
In another moment, Jones appeared to not want to high-five her celebrity partner, which they called ‘a running joke’.
Metro has approached Evans’ rep for comment.
Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and returns later this year.
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