Wynne Evans announced he will be taking some time out from his BBC Radio Wales show and the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour to prioritise his wellbeing following his “inappropriate actions”
Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans is fighting to salvage his career – including his £1million Go Compare job – over crude sexual “gags” to Strictly crew and co-stars.
The actor, who turned 53 on Monday, risks losing the six-figure salary as the face of the price comparison company – the job which made his name in 2009 – following the “inappropriate actions”.
Reports last night claimed Wynne split up with his girlfriend Liz Brookers, 50, amid the criticism. A source had said: “Liz was humiliated by what happened when he was on Strictly.”
The split is despite Wynne’s grovelling apology with which he admitted he will take some time out from his BBC Radio Wales show and the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour to prioritise his wellbeing. The father of two, who is from Carmarthen, south Wales, now faces pressure to shelve his new travelogue, Wynne & Joanna: All At Sea, with Gavin & Stacey actress Joanna Page.
Wynne was recorded on video making a shocking sexual remark to Janette Manrara at a photocall for the Strictly tour. A source said “there was no going back” after this footage emerged.
Last night, a BBC insider said: “It’s been an incredibly difficult situation for all concerned. The BBC are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. But in this day and age, it felt untenable to keep Wynne on the tour. It was detracting from what is otherwise a family-friendly show. He had been warned repeatedly about his language, but the inappropriate remarks kept coming.
“And once one was captured on video, there was no going back. He is a man of a certain age, and it’s fair to say his puerile remarks — while funny to him and perhaps other men of a certain age — wore thin.”
The source said the BBC has a safeguarding duty to everyone involved with Strictly Come Dancing. However, they added they agree a break from projects may help Wynne’s mental health at this time.
In his apology, the concert singer, who won Celebrity MasterChef in 2023, 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 all 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. Apologies to those I won’t get to see for the remaining performances and I’m grateful to my fellow tour gang for all the amazing support they have given me.”
Bosses at the BBC said they had warned the star about his behaviour. Following reports Wynne and Liz had split, the Mirror reached out to Wynne’s reps for comment.