Yahoo News GoCompare man Wynne Evans talks very dirty letter and odd sex question
GoCompare frontman, Welsh singer Wynne Evans, has revealed he is hated by millions - but many more are also such huge fans they write erotic fiction about him, slide into his direct messages and ask the same odd sex question. Interview podcast The Starting Line, now in its second season, this week features a candid interview with opera star, radio presenter, chart-topping singer and GoCompare’s brand mascot of 15 years, Wynne - recorded at his home in Cardiff.
In the three-hour conversation, the interview covers his upbringing and family life - his mother, Elizabeth Evans MBE, is famous for having shown the world’s first-ever premiere of 1993’s Jurassic Park by asking Steven Spielberg if she could have a copy to save her ailing community theatre. The story was turned into a 2022 movie starring Tom Felton and Samantha Morton called Save the Cinema.
The 52 year old talks about his opera career, his 15 years with GoCompare, his divorce, his darkest moment, how GoCompare’s founder Hayley Parsons changed his life, funny celebrity interactions - including upsetting Little Mix and Kiki Dee - on separate occasions - and his relationship with fans and haters.
The Starting Line Podcast, hosted by entrepreneur and author Rich Leigh, is about drive, ambition and curiosity. On its first season, over 14 guest episodes, speaking to the likes of Levi Roots, James Cracknell OBE and Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells, the show charted in the top interview podcasts alongside Desert Island Discs and Louis Theroux.
Rich said: “Wynne was a joy to speak to, and the three hours absolutely flew by as he entertained me and left me floored in equal measure with his anecdotes, wit, kindness and openness. I hope viewers and listeners enjoy the conversation half as much as I did.”
Episodes from series two of The Starting Line Podcast are released every Monday.
Speaking on the podcast, Wynne says his interaction with fans has gone between everything from threats of violence to sex questions and fan fiction. He said: "I don't know if you remember back in 2009, there was a thing called a happy slapping. I was working at the Royal Opera House at the time and it got out that I was working at the Royal Opera House because my name wasn't famous, the GoCompare man was famous.
"They said 'should we do a happy slapping on him on this day because we know he's going to be in this place singing'. And so yeah that was one day.
"Weird, weird dark portion of time where that was a thing. And I remember, because it was just as camera phones were just getting semi-good, right? So it's just people getting slapped on the bus. Again, people might not know that because they're either too young or forgotten, but yeah, happy slapping them.
"So that was a genuine real potential. Yeah, that was one of the ones where they kind of went, we think you should have security that day and you should leave through a different entrance. And the Royal Opera were really good about it. And they understood that."
Wynne added: "I never really took them as seriously as, as I probably should have. I don't know. I mean, you just think it's idiots on the internet, don't you? You think, 'Oh God, get a life'. Yeah, you think 'get a life'."
Wynne also said he has received weird letters and propositions, adding: "I've had some weird letters. Like, like sent to me in work... people like describing sexual acts what they want to do and all of this kind of stuff and is the moustache on at this point or off people often people often ask me have you ever had sex with a moustache on have you no. I mean why I don't know why would I?"
Wynne says he has even had the question in real life. He said: "I was out in Prague actually filming and I was filming with like 12 models, right? On the stage. And one of them, and people would not believe me.
"But my mate happened to be there, right, who writes the music for GoCompare. My mate happened to be there when one of the models turned to me and said, 'You ever had sex with the moustache on?'
" I was thinking, 'we've only just met! Why are you asking me this?' Yeah, so no, never. But people do write a lot. It's like weird fanfic type. Instagram sliding into DMs, you know, there's a bit of that. And I think, God, if I'm getting this, as the GoCompare, you know, a fat man, what must people like, you know, whoever, you know, what's the name for one, Harry Styles, what must he be getting?
"What must Ed Sheeran be getting, right? I mean, you just can't look at it, can you? It's just the volume of that sort of thing must be crazy. I mean, you know, it started with Tom Jones and Elvis getting knickers thrown at them. And then all of a sudden it's this weird, 'I've just written this 500-page essay as to what it'd be like if we were together'.
"Yeah, it was bizarre. Yeah, I've had one where... It was sent to me in work and I thought the paper was dirty.
"And then it turns out that the last sentence was 'and just so you know, I've', and I I can't even bring myself to say, she said 'I rubbed my bits and bobs on the paper below'. So I just dropped the letter."
Wynne also spoke about his Welsh roots and his love of Wales in the podcast - saying he supports a local animal charity in South Wales, describing how the sound of the Welsh accent 'takes him home'
The full episode can be watched, listened and subscribed to at:
