‘GoCompare man’ says controversy over lewd sexual term left him feeling suicidal
Wynne Evans has claimed that Strictly Come Dancing was not a “safe environment” for him.
The Welsh opera singer, who is known for starring in the adverts for GoCompare, the price comparison site, made the claim after being dropped as a presenter by BBC Radio Wales following his use of “inappropriate” language during the launch of the dance competition’s live tour.
Evans apologised after The Mail on Sunday obtained a video that allegedly showed him saying a lewd sexual term to Janette Manrara, a presenter and professional dancer, during a photocall in Birmingham in January.
He said afterwards: “I am deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions have caused, and plan to take this time for self-reflection.”
The 53-year-old competed in the most recent series of Strictly alongside Katya Jones, a professional dancer on the popular programme.
But he told ITV’s This Morning on Wednesday he would not take part in the show again if had the choice and claimed: “I don’t think it was a safe environment for me to do Strictly.”
He alleged the BBC had not contacted him since his suspension and he was not made aware of any support available to him – a claim denied by the corporation.
Evans further claimed the story about his remark had been “taken out of context”, insisting he had been talking to Jamie Borthwick, the EastEnders actor and another Strictly contestant, to whom he gave the nickname “old spit-roast boy”.
He said: “I used to call him this because he could contort his legs over his head... Even though I’m looking at Jamie, they claim that I’m directing this word at Janette. It’s totally been taken out of context.
“The narrative is so wrong on it, in fact, when I saw the narrative in the newspaper, I was just shocked and horrified.”
Evans added: “I spoke with Janette, as you know, afterwards and A, she didn’t hear it and B, there has never been any complaints about me ever.
“How can somebody take a narrative and change it and, you know, everybody just believe it?”
The singer acknowledged that the nickname was “unsuitable” and “inappropriate”, but insisted he was misrepresented.
Controversies ‘took me into dark spot’
There was also controversy surrounding a video clip from an episode of Strictly that showed him placing his hand on Jones’s waist, which she then appeared to move. They both later apologised in a video, claiming it had been a “joke”.
Evans told This Morning it was “just a body language experiment that was picked up on”.
He said: “Katya said to me: ‘Put your hand on my waist, I’ll move it back, we’ll see if anybody picks it up [on social media],’ and boy did they pick it up.”
Asked by Ben Shephard, the This Morning co-host, if he could “understand how people got confused by that”, Evans responded: “I totally understand that and I apologise.
“I don’t want to sit here today, coming across as a victim because I’m not. I totally understand why people were upset by that and I get it.”
The tenor, who also won Celebrity MasterChef in 2023, became emotional in the interview as he recalled the controversies.
He said: “I’ve had clinical depression since 2016, diagnosed. It took me into the darkest spot of my life. I was at my lowest ebb. I wanted to end my life. I would have if I hadn’t been surrounded by people.
“At one point one of the newspapers was so relentless, I remember saying to my girlfriend, I have to kill myself, I have to, because this is what they want.”
Speaking about his future last month, the singer said he would be starting an online programme called The Wynne Evans Show.
Responding to Evans’s claim that he had not heard from the BBC since being suspended, a spokesman for the broadcaster said: “We provided comprehensive duty of care for Wynne that included support by wellbeing professionals.
“He was also provided with direct access to designated contact at the BBC, which was available to assist him at any time and he has been offered continued support since his contract with the BBC concluded.”
