Katya Jones is said to be ‘devastated’ by the way Wynne Evans has been dropped by Strictly in the wake of his sexual-jibe scandal – with fears she will now quit.
The professional dancer’s 2024 celeb partner Wynne, 53, was caught making a vile remark about a ‘spit roast’ aimed at Strictly: It Takes Two host Janette Manrara.
Katya, 35, herself has been no stranger to scandal during her eight-year career on the BBC ballroom show and has had her fair share of ups and downs.
Insiders have claimed those working on the programme are fearful Katya will quit over the way Wynne’s exit from the live tour has been handled.
Her Strictly experience has been affected by several headline-hitting rumours and sources have said there are concerns she will no longer shoulder the strain.
Most notably, Katya was caught kissing her celebrity partner Seann Walsh when they were in a couple on the show in 2018, while she was married to fellow professional dancer Neil Jones.
A few series later there were rumours of a feud between Katya and her 2022 partner Tony Adams, as sources said she was ‘working him too hard’ in rehearsals and it was causing tension.
Katya Jones is said to be ‘devastated’ by the way Wynne Evans has been dropped by Strictly in the wake of his sexual jibe scandal
Insiders have claimed those working on the programme are fearful that Katya will quit over the way Wynne’s (pictured) exit from the live tour has been handled
During the 2024 series when Katya was put with Wynne, the pair caused a stir when viewers noticed Wynne’s ‘wandering hand’ on the dancer’s waist and stomach
They caught the moment she firmly pulled his hand back up, with them later insisting it was just a private joke between them.
As fears grow that this will be the final straw for Katya on the popular dancing show, we look at her tumultuous time on the show…
Seann Walsh scandal
Katya was famously pictured kissing Seann during a boozy night out together while they were both in other relationships, with the smooch making front page news.
The illicit snog shocked viewers – more so once they found out it took place on Seann’s girlfriend Rebecca Humphries’ birthday.
After the night out took place, Rebecca wrote an open letter to Seann which alleged to his negative behaviour during their relationship.
Rebecca released an impassioned statement in which she revealed he called her ‘psycho’ and ‘nuts’ for questioning his friendship with Katya, before the kissing photos were made public.
While Katya and Neil initially put on a display of unity following the furore, the married couple split 10 months later and now maintain a friendship.
In April 2022, speaking in his comedy special Seann Walsh: Kiss, the star told how he was ‘sorry’ for the kiss then and is still sorry now.
Katya was famously pictured kissing Seann during a boozy night out while they were both in other relationships, with the smooch making front-page news
While Katya and Neil initially put on a display of unity following the furore, the married couple split ten months later and now maintain a friendship (pictured together in 2019)
Recalling how he learned their PDA had become public, he said: ‘I left the wardrobe department and before I could order my first beer, my agent came over to and asked if he could have a word with me outside.
‘I thought ‘he is going to tell me I have got Michael McIntyre’s Big Show! I had better act surprised!’
‘Turns out, I didn’t have to act surprised. We went into the BBC carpark, my agent looked over his glasses and said, ‘about 20 minutes ago, they posted a photo of you kissing Katya outside a pub’.
‘It was at that exact point that my life would turn upside down – the dream turned into a nightmare.’
Explaining the incident, he said: ‘I was in a relationship, my dance partner Katya was married.
‘After training we went for a drink, one thing led to another and we were photographed kissing outside a pub. Awful, I know. It’s awful – I’m sorry. I’m still sorry now.’
He said: ‘I was then on the receiving end of thousands of abusive messages online. I did begin to wonder ‘have I done something that wrong?’
‘Then…. Katie Hopkins tweeted in my defence. Then I thought ‘yep, I’ve f****d up!” I managed to keep Brexit off the front pages for 12 whole days, but I hated it.’
‘I thought ‘I just had to get out of here’ and I left for America. Just the break I needed.
Tony Adams ‘feud’
While the pair are firm friends now, it wasn’t smooth sailing Katya and Tony during their time on Strictly, after they got into a ‘heated row’ in the closing moments of the week seven show.
The former footballer had made a string of mistakes during his Salsa earlier that night, and ended up at the bottom of the leaderboard, with Katya admitting she’d shouted at him afterwards.
Tony was then seen speaking very animatedly with Katya when Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly were wrapping up the show, prompting rumours of a ‘heated row’ between the pair.
Reflecting on the awkward moment while appearing on Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain with Katya, Tony confessed his professional partner can be ‘a little over critical’.
He admitted he just ‘wants to have a good time’ on the BBC dance contest and said they are trying to find a balance between correcting mistakes and enjoying themselves.
While the pair are firm friends now, it wasn’t smooth sailing for Katya and Tony during their time on Strictly after they got into a ‘heated row’
Tony was then seen speaking very animatedly with Katya when Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly were wrapping up the show
Proving it is all behind them now, Katya enjoyed a relaxing weekend in the Cotswolds with Tony and his family back in April last year
However, he went on to praise ‘genius’ Katya for coming up with their choreography every week, before his partner brushed off ‘feud’ rumours by joking that they ‘don’t like each other’.
When asked by Susanna Reid and Ed Balls about the reported row, Tony quipped: ‘We constantly argue, don’t we?’
To which Katya joked: ‘We just don’t like each other at all, we don’t get on!’
But Tony candidly continued: ‘We’ve had two months together now. She’s been training me and the routines she’s putting on are incredible.
‘And sometimes when I miss a step, sometimes she’s a little bit over critical and I just want to have a good time as well.
‘So I think it’s a balance between maybe letting me make a mistake and enjoying myself a little bit at times… I’m not an expert in this field.’
Tony went on to speak about the challenges of appearing on Strictly, admitting he ‘cried’ for the first month and was ‘physically, emotionally, mentally in bits’ due to the ‘brutal’ nature of constantly learning new moves.
Proving it is all behind them now, Katya enjoyed a relaxing weekend in the Cotswolds Tony and his family back in April last year.
The couple were forced to withdraw from the competition in week eight after Tony sustained a hamstring injury.
The two have remained firm friends and Katya spent the weekend with him and his family as she took to Instagram to share a series of sweet snaps.
Posing with Tony in the first snap, the couple beamed from ear to ear while a mug with a snap of them from Strictly was conveniently placed on the table.
She captioned the post: ‘Weekend with My Cotswold family. ❤️ Dancing in the kitchen, shopping, singing, cooking and lots of hugs.’
Wynne Evans
During the latest series of the show, viewers became convinced they had noticed a feud between the Welsh opera singer and the Russian ballroom professional – despite the pair blasting claims of a rift as ‘absurd’.
During a discussion about Wynne’s dance in the green room one episode, host Claudia Winkleman asked the singer how he felt he had done.
And during his answer, fans noticed that Katya’s face was very serious throughout with some fans even suggesting she looked disgusted by her partner.
The fan speculation came after the dancing duo’s behaviour in the fourth live show.
As Claudia revealed this week’s voting lines were open, Wynne put his arm around Katya only for her to knock his hand away as it moved along her waist.
The awkward interaction came after Katya was forced to dismiss growing rumours of a feud when she was caught swiping his hand away following their live performance
Following Wynne’s ‘wandering hand’, the BBC insisted they would not pursue the matter, with the dance partners insisting their perceived awkwardness was part of a yet-to-be-clarified ‘in-joke’
Meanwhile, in a second awkward interaction, Katya appeared to shun Wynne’s attempts at a high five after Sam Quek and Nikita Kumzin’s performance
A second frosty moment saw the Russian dancer appear to shun her celebrity partner’s attempts at a high five after Sam Quek and Nikita Kumzin’s performance.
Standing with both hands outstretched, Katya seemed to deliberately turn her back on her partner instead of returning the gesture.
And fans are now even more certain of bad blood between the Russian dancer and Wynne.
During the show, Claudia asked Wynne how he felt, noting he looked shocked.
Wynne replied: ‘I am shocked because I didn’t think I’d survive week one so to be here after having done a tango is really thrilling. And I had such a good time and thank you to Katya’s clever choreography.’
As Wynne gave his answer fans spotted that Katya remained stony faced and even appeared to wince as the opera singer evaluated his performance.
Some even pointed out that he stood with his hands behind his back which they believed was a response to fan backlash following Saturday’s episode.
But both stars have strenuously denied there is an issue between them, claiming it was simply a bad joke.
They posted on social media after the live show, but also addressed it on It Takes Two where Jones said she would not have Evans ‘portrayed as someone he’s not’.
She added: ‘So I have to make this absolutely clear that the whole incident with the hand and the high five on Saturday night, it was an inside joke between Wynne and I. Was it a silly joke? Yes. Was it a bad joke? Yes.’
Katya reportedly feels let down by the corporation’s treatment of the opera singer, 53
‘I have watched it back and I can see how people may have misinterpreted it,’ said Evans.
She went on: ‘However, it was a joke and even the idea that it made me feel uncomfortable or offended in any way, it’s total nonsense and those that have doubts, you guys have got it wrong. So hopefully this will be the end of it.’
Wynne’s unceremonious exit from the tour has sparked fears she might be gearing up to quit the BBC show as she reportedly ‘feels betrayed’ by the departure.
According to The Sun, the professional dancer feels let down by the corporation’s treatment of the opera singer.
Wynne has agreed with the BBC to ‘take some time out’ from his radio show and the Strictly Come Dancing live tour ‘to prioritise my wellbeing’, he confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.
An insider told the publication: ‘Katya is really upset about what has happened and feel like it’s all been blown out of proportion.
‘She was shocked that bosses hauled Wynne in and feels like they have been thrown under the bus.
‘Her friends are worried this is making her fall out of love with the show and wonder if she will do it again next year. There is only so much drama she can take.’
Katya broke her silence on Wynne Evans’s Strictly Come Dancing withdrawal on Tuesday evening
Following Wynne’s announcement, Katya said she’ll ‘miss her darling boy’ as she prepares to continue the tour without him
She wrote on Instagram: ‘Let’s show humanity and consideration. I will miss you my darling boy’
Katya broke her silence on Wynne Evans’ Strictly Come Dancing withdrawal on Tuesday evening.
Following Wynne’s announcement, Katya, 35, said she’ll ‘miss her darling boy’ as she prepares to continue the tour without him.
She wrote on Instagram: ‘Let’s show humanity and consideration. I will miss you my darling boy.’
He 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 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 at the remaining performances and I’m grateful to my fellow tour gang for all the amazing support they have given me.’
A member of staff at the Hilton Hotel at Albert Docks said tonight that Wynne had left the Strictly Live party.
Source link
