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Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Wynne Evans 'takes jibe' at BBC after Strictly scandal as he shares career announcement
Wynne Evans 'takes jibe' at BBC after Strictly scandal as he shares career announcement Wynne Evans has returned to the airwaves with his new internet radio show, The Wynne Evans Show, at home, after he was dropped from his BBC Wales breakfast radio show last month Wynne Evans seems to have made a dig at the BBC as he kicked off his new radio programme. The Go Compare opera singer, 53, has made a comeback on the airwaves after his departure from his BBC Wales breakfast radio show last month due to allegations of making inappropriate remarks. His exit followed his removal from the Strictly live tour for an "unacceptable" comment about It Takes Two presenter Janette Manrara. Following the incident, Wynne issued an apology, expressing that he was "deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions caused". After stepping back from the limelight for a period of "self-reflection" and to concentrate on his mental health, Wynne has now re-emerged and has made several statements regarding the handling of the controversies, reports Edinburgh Live. The vocalist, who danced with Katya Jones on last year's Strictly, which saw Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell take the victory, has candidly discussed the effect the scandal had on him, taking him "to the darkest spot of his life". Article continues below Wynne has launched his own weekday morning internet radio show, The Wynne Evans Show, broadcasting from his home, where he appeared to make a jibe at his previous BBC colleagues in his opening remarks. Wynne was dropped from the Strictly tour after an inappropriate joke (Image: BBC ) "Must be lovely and peaceful over there now. Plenty of time to finally finish that game of Solitaire," he quipped to his audience of 40,000. Alex John, a listener and fellow Welsh performer, also commented: "The BBC made a massive mistake and I think they will start to realise it. "The show this morning was filled with laughter and tears; it was incredible. Can't wait to tune in again tomorrow. "Wynne's more himself, the music has massively improved, and it's more of a laugh than ever." On a recent This Morning appearance, Wynne opened up to Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard about how deeply the scandal affected him. Wynne has spoken about the impact has had on his mental health (Image: ITV ) "I was at my lowest ebb, I wanted to end my life. I would have if I hadn't been surrounded by people," he confided. Overwhelmed with emotion, he remembered telling his girlfriend, "I have to kill myself. I have to because this is what they want." "You're full of these thoughts the entire time, and it takes over your life," he went on to say. Wynne shared that a crisis team was watching over him and highlighted the fact that his loved ones had organised a rota to never leave him alone. In response to concerns, the BBC and BBC Studios previously issued a statement regarding the welfare of those on their show, emphasising that duty of care is taken "extremely seriously". "We want Strictly to be a positive experience for everyone involved," the statement asserted. Wynne was partnered with Katya Jones on Strictly (Image: PA Wire/PA Images ) It elaborated: "Every celebrity and pro dancer is offered a pre-series psychological review. They complete 'wellbeing questionnaires' with the welfare producers and talk about the type of experience the celebrity would like on the show and expectations of training from both sides." The statement also mentioned: "Everyone working on Strictly, in front and behind the camera, has attended workshops addressing the culture of the show and expected behaviour. "Building on previous protocols, there is a formal exit interview process for all involved as they leave the show, which will be logged and documented. "These new measures build on longstanding processes and procedures on the show. We will always look at whether there is more we should do." Wynne has returned to the airwaves after being left "gutted" by the end of his BBC radio show (Image: BBC Radio Wales ) Following the decision by BBC to not renew Wynne's annual Radio contract in the wake of the Strictly controversies, after being investigated for four months, he expressed his disappointment. Article continues below On Instagram, he conveyed: "It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract, so I won't be returning to my radio show. I'm gutted. "That show wasn't just work - it was home. It was us. We laughed, we cried, we sang like nobody was listening. And somehow, through the airwaves, we became a family." Listeners can tune in to The Wynne Evans Show from 9am to 12pm, Monday to Friday, accessible via his website
Edinburgh Live
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Wynne Evans 'takes swipe' at BBC as he makes career move after Strictly axe
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Wynne Evans appears to have taken a swipe at the BBC as he launched his new radio show. The Go Compare opera singer, 53, has returned to the airwaves after being dropped from his BBC Wales breakfast radio show last month, following claims of inappropriate comments. It came after he was axed from the Strictly live tour after an 'unacceptable' joke about It Takes Two host Janette Manrara. Wynne apologised soon after, saying he was 'deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions caused'. He took a break from the public eye for 'self-reflection' and to focus on his mental well-being. However, Wynne has now returned to the spotlight and made several comments about the way in which the controversies were handled. The singer, who was partnered with Katya Jones on Strictly last year, which was won by Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, has spoken openly about how the scandal impacted him and led him 'to the darkest spot of his life'. He has now opened his weekday morning internet radio show at home, and began by seemingly taking a swipe when mentioning his former BBC colleagues. 'Must be lovely and peaceful over there now. Plenty of time to finally finish that game of Solitaire,' he said. The BBC and BBC Studios released a statement last year about the show's duty of care, saying it was taken 'extremely seriously'. 'We want Strictly to be a positive experience for everyone involved,' the statement read. Following the news that the BBC had decided not to renew Wynne's one-year rolling Radio contract after a four-month investigation following the Strictly controversies, the star admitted he was 'gutted'. He shared on Instagram: 'It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract, so I won't be returning to my radio show. I'm gutted. 'That show wasn't just work — it was home. It was us. We laughed, we cried, we sang like nobody was listening. And somehow, through the airwaves, we became a family.' The Wynne Evans Show can be listened to from 9am to 12pm, Monday to Friday, on his website . This is a breaking showbiz story and is being constantly updated. Please refresh the page regularly to get the latest news, pictures and videos. You can also get email updates on the day's biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wynne Evans's Partridge-esque one-man radio show got off to the worst possible start
What career options do the 'cancelled' men of Britain have? Phillip Schofield felt sorry for himself on a desert island (for Channel 5). Russell Brand turned to the Wild West of YouTubing. Gregg Wallace has pivoted to being a healthy-living influencer. For Wynne Evans – opera singer, Go Compare man, BBC radio presenter, Strictly Come Dancing scandal-generator – the response is to stubbornly carry on as before. This morning, a few weeks after announcing his BBC contract had not been renewed, he launched a rival to his old Radio Wales morning gig, The Wynne Evans Show, imploring his fans, the 'Wynners', to follow him on this new, DIY journey. Thousands did and were treated to a debut show beset by technical gremlins, filled with every emotion under the sun, swamped by a sense of grievance, yet containing glimmers of the heart-on-sleeve appeal that Evans has. Evans does not keep his cards close to his chest, and the past few days have seen an emotional This Morning appearance, newsletters filled with details about his homemade technical set-up, his 'holibobs' and struggles with his mental health, and Facebook posts laced with bitterness about his old BBC bosses. No doubt his old bosses will have been amused (and perhaps relieved) that the show got off to the worst possible start, as the first song, Robbie Williams's Let Me Entertain You, was accompanied by horrific electronic screeching. Several times Evans seemed to unplug something. The WhatsApp number and YouTube channel collapsed. Evans's one-man band, hosted from his front room, sounded distinctly ramshackle. That can be forgiven on day one – more off-putting was Evans's score-settling, dragging his rebirth into territory once occupied by Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge. Insistence that he was moving on and not dwelling on the incidents that soured his time on Strictly rang hollow, particularly when he announced that his first Question of the Day was: have you ever been fired? There were several references to 'the Other Side' and some truly Partridge-esque glee when he announced his listening figures, at 35,000, were already well above his old show. 'On the Other Side, we would have had a meeting with 10 people this morning,' he said. 'Today, I had a meeting with myself. And I still managed to get reported to HR!' Jokes like this are perhaps unwise following the Mail on Sunday's story about the seven separate grievances raised by BBC Wales employees against Evans between July 2023 and August 2024. Yet among the slightly unconvincing 'having the last laugh' rhetoric, there were recognisable glimmers of Evans's appeal. Having told the listeners 'he would not be here' without them, he received truly moving emotional honesty in return. One caller, Becky, spoke of her husband, Caleb, who had died last month from cancer, at the age of 37. Evans was reduced to tears, as many listeners will have been, as Becky spoke of their two-year-old, Connor. It was moments such as these where Evans's affable, emotional, warts-and-all persona shone. If he can truly move on from the Other Side and He Who Shall Not Be Named (what he calls Strictly), and focus on his bond with his thousands of fans, then Evans really could have the last laugh. 'I still haven't heard from the BBC,' he said at one point. The suspicion is, he is still waiting for that call. The Wynne Evans Show is on at 9am every weekday at Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jamie Borthwick 'attempting to right wrongs' as he tries to save TV career
EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick is currently suspended by the BBC after using a disabled slur when he appeared on Strictly Come Dancing Jamie Borthwick is said to be "attempting to right the wrongs in my life" after being suspended by the BBC. The EastEnders star was giving his marching orders after it emerged he'd used an offensive disabled slur while appearing on Strictly Come Dancing. The 30-year-old actor has since apologised for using the derogatory word to describe locals in Blackpool, where Strictly filmed their special ballroom episode six months ago. It's reported footage was made of Jamie using the word, which was then sent to one of his friends. Issuing a grovelling apology last week, Jamie said: "I want to apologise sincerely and wholeheartedly for the words I used in the video showing my reaction to making it through Blackpool week on Strictly. "I am deeply sorry for any offence and upset my words and actions have caused. It is no excuse, but I did not fully understand the derogatory term I used and its meaning. That is on me completely. Now I am aware, I am deeply embarrassed to have used the term and directed it in the way I did. It was wrong." In a last ditch bid to clear up his act, Jamie is reportedly set to meet with BBC bosses in the hope he could get his EastEnders job back. He's starred as Jay Brown in the long-running BBC soap since 2006. But in texts to an ex-partner, The Sun reports the star as saying he's had time to reflect on "decisions that have led me here". And at the moment it's still "not clear" if he will keep his job. A source has claimed Jamie told the ex: "I accept the karma that has come my way due to some bad choices", adding: "Had I the opportunity to turn the clock back I would do so and do everything differently." He went on to say he is "attempting to right the wrongs in my life" and "want to sincerely apologise for the mistakes I made and for hurting you and how I handled the whole situation." It's not the first Strictly scandal Jamie has been involved with since appearing on the show. Footage reportedly emerged of him brandishing a sex toy sent to him by celebrity co-star Go Compare opera singer Wynne Evans, who has also found himself under fire for his behaviour on Strictly. The inappropriate video was said to have been shared in a messaging group with other Strictly stars, who it is suggested did not expect nor want to be included in an exchange that had a sexual connotation. The clip is thought to have been filmed just two days after Wynne was recorded making a sexualised comment about pro dancer Janette Manrara. Wynne, who was a BBC Radio Wales presenter, has since been dropped by the BBC following an apology saying that he used "inappropriate language" during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. Speaking about Jamie's suspension, a BBC spokesperson said: "This language is entirely unacceptable and in no way reflects the values or standards we hold and expect at the BBC. We have robust processes in place for this."
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Seven BBC women alerted bosses over Wynne Evans' conduct... So why did he tell TV's Cat and Ben: 'There have been no complaints about me. Ever'
The BBC received seven complaints from women over Wynne Evans ' conduct towards them, including one claim he made an inappropriate comment about a pregnant woman's breasts during a Zoom call. The Mail on Sunday's revelations come just days after opera singer Evans, axed from his BBC Wales breakfast radio show last month, protested on ITV 's This Morning that there had been no allegations made against him. He appeared on the show last Wednesday to tell hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard: 'There has never been any complaints about me. Ever!' The MoS can instead disclose that BBC Wales staff raised the seven separate grievances between July 2023 and August 2024, including a period after Evans, 53, was approached to appear on last year's Strictly Come Dancing. Four of the complaints were made before he joined Strictly, raising questions over why the dance show's producers signed him up. Three more were made after he had been chosen for the show. A report into his behaviour was prepared in January for a disciplinary hearing which he said he could not attend, citing mental health issues. The Go Compare frontman's time on Strictly was mired in controversy. The Mail on Sunday told in January how he was filmed using the vile term 'spit roast' – a three-way sex act – to his co-star Jamie Borthwick in relation to professional dancer Janette Manrara during the launch of the Strictly Live Tour. He apologised and left the tour. Evans had earlier been caught up in a 'wandering hand' incident with his Strictly dance partner, Katya Jones. One source said of the BBC Wales complaints: 'Some of the comments he made were awful. 'Imagine making a comment about a pregnant woman's breasts. His behaviour left many women feeling uncomfortable.' A former colleague, who wants to remain anonymous for fears of career repercussions, told the MoS the complaints were well known among staff at the Welsh broadcaster but 'everyone was afraid to speak out' because Evans was seen as 'untouchable'. She said: 'That's why he got away with it for so long and why he will get away with it.' The woman revealed how the father-of-two's inappropriate behaviour 'built up over the years'. She said: 'At first, he was known as an idiot and a clown but it turned into something more sinister and tipped into being inappropriate and uncomfortable to be around and work with. 'These complaints are real. He is not just someone who has made a few rude jokes. There are women who have made complaints and he was warned time and time again and just kept going. 'The argument that he has of 'Oh, I'm just a product of my time. It's just a joke'... well, those times are gone and you can't act that way, especially if you have been warned about it.' A BBC spokesman said: 'We take any issues raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.' A spokesman for Evans declined to comment.
