Strictly Come Dancing’s Wynne Evans hits back at claims he made a sexual slur against his co-star Janette Manrara, which happened when Wynne was standing in the middle of a line-up of the entire cast in Birmingham
Wynne Evans has opened up about ‘what he really said’ to Strictly Come Dancing’s Janette Manrara after he was ‘forced’ to apoplgise for the sexual slur – which he now claims was the farthest thing from what he actually meant it to be. The opera singer, 53, best known for his Go Compare adverts, was caught on camera in January making a vile “spit roast” remark towards a co-star.
The footage, which was released in January, shows Wynne standing in the middle of a line-up of the entire cast in Birmingham as Janette, who is the host of the BBC spin-off show It Takes Two, is asked to join them.
Wynne was recorded making an inappropriate sexual comment to Janette Manrara, who acts as host on the tour, when she walked over to the group. He sang out: “Go Compare,” before adding: “Not too close to Jamie [Borthwick].” He then used the hugely demeaning term “spit roast” in reference to a lewd sexual act.
At the time, Evans said in a statement to the Mirror: “My language was inappropriate and unacceptable, for which I sincerely apologise.” He was seen with the tour cast as they turned up to Liverpool after having to pull out of the Glasgow shows due to an injury. However, he later pulled from the tour entirely.
However, Wynne has denied making the comments caught on camera. After issuing an apology at the time, the opera singer has now revealed what he actually meant by saying the words ‘spit-roast’, claiming it was a nickname for his fellow Strictly star and EastEnders actor, Jamie. Wynne told The Sun in a new interview: “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.”
Wynne now insists his mistakes on the show were simply light-hearted pranks which completely backfired on him, leading to his career taking a massive plunge. The Strictly star has also revealed that he suffered a dreadful mental health collapse after his axe from the show, admitting that he was on even 24/7 suicide watch by an NHS crisis team.
“I would be the first to apologise if I had used it in the double meaning of that word,” Wynne told the publication. 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.
“Anyway two weeks after that photocall, I was sat in this hotel room and I start to get these calls saying, ‘You have used a term that is really offensive’. And then I’ve got my team ringing me, I’ve got the Strictly team ringing me, I’ve got the tour team ringing me.”
Wynne went on to claim that he didn’t see the press statement that was published on his behalf, and was left blindsided by it. “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,” he said.
“When I read the apology within the context of the story as it had been written, I was absolutely horrified. And I was embarrassed and I was ashamed of myself. Because the apology always makes it look worse.
“It validates the story. 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.” The statement which was released on his behalf at the time read: “My language was inappropriate and unacceptable for which I sincerely apologise.”
The broadcaster has launched an investigation into his behaviour and the conclusion is believed to be revealed in a couple of weeks. A BBC spokesperson also previously confirmed they had spoken to Wynne and stated they “do not tolerate such behaviour.”
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the live tour said: “We were not previously aware of the remark and did not receive any complaints. We have made it very clear to Wynne that we do not tolerate such behaviour on the tour.”
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