BBC Strictly Come Dancing stars Katya Jones and Wynne Evans address 'inappropriate' moment after fan backlash
Strictly Come Dancing stars Wynne Evans and Katya Jones have addressed concerns raised by fans over an "inappropriate" moment. The Welsh opera singer, 52, and the Russian professional dancer, 35, impressed the judges this week on the BBC dance competition with their highest score yet for their tango to ABBA's Money, Money, Money.
However, their unusual behaviour in the green room caused a stir among viewers. Fans took to social media after noticing the pair's odd interactions amidst the Strictly chaos, with many speculating there was tension between them.
It started when Wynne stood behind Katya with his arm around her waist while Claudia Winkleman interviewed Pete Wicks about his quickstep. The former Strictly champion smiled next to her co-star but subtly moved the singer's hand back to her hip after it had drifted closer to her midriff.
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Later in the show, viewers spotted Wynne's unsuccessful attempt to high-five Katya. The award-winning dancer turned her back on him and pulled a less than pleased face in a fleeting moment.
She then quickly faced the camera with a big smile as if nothing had happened. Fans soon took to Twitter to voice their concerns, reports the Express.
After a controversial moment on the show, dedicated viewers began to speculate about a possible conflict between Wynne and Katya, with some branding the incident "inappropriate" and calling for the BBC to look into it. However, the dancing duo quickly took to Instagram to set the record straight with their followers.
In a video still in their show attire, Katya initiated the explanation: "Hi everyone. It's Wynne and Katya here. We just wanted to say we were just messing around in the Claudatorium on Saturday night and wanted to say sorry, it was a silly joke."
Wynne then added his own apology: "Yes, sorry" as they both showed signs of discomfort backstage. Wynne further clarified in the post's caption: "Apologies for this tonight we were just messing around. We really are amazing friends."
He also explained that the high fives were part of an ongoing jest: "The high 5's is a running joke," he stated. "Have a great evening."
The pair's quick response garnered support from fans in the comments section. One user offered reassurance: "You did nothing wrong! ! [heart-eyes emoji]", while another expressed relief at their prompt clarification: "Glad you've come out straight away to get rid of any nonsense" Loved your dance tonight [heart emoji]". Another fan expressed disappointment that an apology seemed necessary: "Honestly devastated that you both feel you have to apologise.
Neither of you have done anything wrong at all. My absolute favourites from week one and your dance tonight was fantastic [smiling emoji]."