Former Strictly Come Dancing pro dancer James Jordan has taken to Instagram to speak out about Wynne Evans, hours after the disgraced comedian appeared on ITV to share how the BBC show scandal affected his mental health earlier this year.
Marking his first interview since the controversy took place back in January, the opera singer, 53, appeared on ITV's This Morning on Wednesday.
Following this, James posted a statement to Instagram, saying: "I watched the Wynne Evans' interview this morning on ITV and I was deeply moved – and also angry. Well done to ITV for giving him the opportunity to clear his name and speak his unedited truth. I don't know Wynne personally but I've heard he is a decent guy. Since his time on Strictly Come Dancing last year he's been hounded by the press over remarks and moments that, when you know the context, were clearly light-hearted or part of mutual banter."
"Now… it would be easy to stay silent, like many others have, including some of the so-called friends from Strictly who haven't spoken out in his defence. But when I see someone being treated unfairly, I can't stay quiet. It's something I've done throughout my life and career and while it’s sometimes been to my own detriment, I won't stop speaking out when I believe someone’s been wronged."
© Ian West - PA ImagesSpeaking to This Morning hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, Wynne claimed the story was taken out of context after it was revealed he had allegedly given EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick a suggestive nickname.
He said: "I used to call him this because he could contort his legs over his head. "I didn't know there was a reporter still there, recording, apparently, on their phone.
© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock"Even though I'm looking at Jamie, they claim that I’m directing this word at Janette. And it's totally been taken out of context."
Wynne also came under fire after viewers noticed his dance partner, Katya Jones, pushed his hand away from her waist during an episode of Strictly.
On Thursday, Wynne posted a video that he and Katya had recorded after the show, explaining the move. "So we thought, tonight we'll mess around, and be like, 'I'll put my hand on your waist and you move it away and we'll see who notices it,' and now everyone thinks I'm a weirdo! But really, I promise you, I'm not. We're also doing this 'high ten' thing where she blanks me doing a high ten," Wynne says in the clip.
© Guy LevyKatya added: "It's all planned to see who notices… but we just need to clarify that it's all just messing around. He's not a creep, and he's a brilliant dancer."
Wynne also claimed he hasn’t heard from the BBC after he was allegedly axed from his Radio Wales show. He said: "I haven’t heard from the BBC since I got suspended, personally; they've only spoken to my lawyers.
© Kacper PilzysHe also advised against taking part in Strictly, saying: "I wouldn’t do it. It wasn’t a safe environment for me. I loved Katya and the guys that were there. I’m happy now to be back in Wales."
HELLO! has reached out to the BBC and to Katya Jones' representatives for comment.
