Wynne Evans’ spit-roast joke was reportedly a ‘known nickname for a co-star and taken as banter within his Strictly circle’, amid reports he plans to ‘take the BBC to a tribunal’ over his ‘unfair treatment’ following his Strictly axe.
The Go Compare star, 53, reportedly believes his reputation has been unfairly left ‘in tatters’ after he apologised for a vile remark aimed at tour host Janette Manrara, when footage emerged of the comment at the tour’s press launch.
Wynne was recorded crudely suggesting a three-way sex session with presenter Janette, using the hugely demeaning term ‘spit roast’. Janette did not form a complaint against the singer.
Now, it has been claimed the sexual remark didn’t come as a surprise to those in his circle as the comment was ‘known to many of the professionals and celebrities taking part in the tour’.
According to The Sun, the phrase was ‘widely remarked on and laughed at during the tour and became something that was regularly bandied about’, before Wynne was caught.
Friends of the singer told the publication Wynne is ‘incredibly upset’ no one jumped to defend him publicly in light of the ‘long-running joke’.
Wynne Evans’, 53, spit-roast joke was reportedly a ‘known nickname for a co-star and taken as banter within his Strictly circle’, amid reports he plans to ‘take the BBC to a tribunal’ over his ‘unfair treatment’ following his Strictly axe
The Go Compare star reportedly believes his reputation has been unfairly left ‘in tatters’ after he apologised for a vile remark aimed at tour host Janette Manrara, when footage emerged of the comment at the tour’s press launch
Now, it has been claimed the sexual remark didn’t come as a surprise to those in his circle as the comment was ‘known to many of the professionals and celebrities taking part in the tour’
A friend told The Sun: ‘Wynne loves to fill silences. He is a funny person by nature and when you are with him he will crack jokes left, right and centre.
‘Some are on the knuckle but it’s nothing worse than anything any 50-something-year-old bloke would say.
MailOnline contacted Wynne’s representatives and the BBC for comment.
In the MoS film, Wynne stands in the middle of a line-up of 20 celebrities and dancers as Janette, who hosts the TV spin-off Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, is summoned to join them. As she approaches, Wynne warns her with a grin: ‘Not too close to Jamie [Borthwick]!’
He then pulls a suggestive face at the actor, behind Janette’s back, as she moves between them. It is at this point that Wynne makes his disgusting joke at her expense.
Seconds later, her dancer husband Aljaz Skorjanec, who was standing nearby, asks her: ‘Darling, are you OK?’ She replies curtly: ‘Yep.’
Janette’s spokesperson said the host had been ‘unaware of this comment by Wynne’ which was audible to our reporter filming with a mobile phone 20 yards away.
Sources claim that Wynne, who has hired a crisis PR expert following his removal from the tour, is planning to contest his axe, and has been seeking advice from a team of lawyers.
Wynne was recorded crudely suggesting a three-way sex session with presenter Janette (pictured), using the hugely demeaning term ‘spit roast’. Janette did not form a complaint against the singer
The phrase was reportedly ‘widely remarked on and laughed at during the tour and became something that was regularly bandied about’, before Wynne was caught
The star has reportedly said that his ‘spit roast’ remark was not about Janette, and a source claims other stars on the tour were aware of this.
It’s also thought that bosses at Go Compare, the insurance site Wynne has fronted since 2009, have held crisis meetings about his future with the brand, and the singer also stepped back from his BBC Wales radio show in the wake of the scandal.
A source told The Sun: ‘He said he is going to a tribunal with the BBC and will fight with every breath in his body. Wynne feels he has been treated unfairly and won’t go down without a fight.
‘Wynne knows the meaning behind his comment and, to his frustration, so do many of the pro dancers and celebrities who were on the tour with him.
‘He is heartbroken by how this all played out and is upset that no one has spoken out to defend him publicly… It was an ‘in’ joke. It didn’t offend anyone and no one complained. Wynne feels badly let down by the whole process and some of his co-stars who he was incredibly close to.’
The Mail On Sunday first revealed the footage of Wynne’s ‘spit-roast’ remark last month, and while the singer received a warning from tour bosses about his conduct, the BBC said they did not receive any complaints at the time.
A friend of Wynne’s added that given he was dropped from the tour after footage of his comment emerged, he feels his axing from the shows was a ‘knee-jerk reaction to public commentary around the joke.’
The BBC declined to comment when contacted by The Sun. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Wynne Evans and the BBC for comment.
Sources claim that Wynne, who has hired a crisis PR expert following his removal from the tour, is planning to contest his axe, and has been seeking advice from a team of lawyers
The star has reportedly said that his ‘spit roast’ remark was not about Janette, and a source claims other stars on the tour were aware of this
It had been reported that Wynne had already hired lawyers and was considering suing the BBC for breach of contract and loss of earnings after he was dropped from the Strictly tour.
A source close to Wynne told The Sun: ‘He’s been in a bad way all week and his brother and partner have looked after him.
‘He’s appointed an expensive law firm to take advice on potentially losing his jobs.’
However according to reports, his pals are insistent that Wynne will weather the storm of the current scandal and will see his career recover.
According to The Mirror, one friend has defended the star from the backlash he’s received, by blaming it on Wynne’s ‘terrible sense of humour’.
They told the publication: ‘At the end of the day, he has been a bit of an oaf and made a stupid mistake but does he deserve such hatred?
‘Yes, using the term spit-roast was absolutely wrong, and he realises this. His problem is that he is a joker and he continually wants to play to the crowd. It’s just schoolboy comedy.’
The pal added: ‘Talk of his career ending is premature – at the end of the day, his radio show is very popular, and he is very much liked.’
Wynne confirmed his departure from the Strictly live tour in a grovelling statement
Wynne confirmed his departure from the Strictly live tour in a grovelling statement.
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.’
Professional dancer Katya Jones, who was partnered with Wynne on Strictly, reposted the message and wrote: ‘Let’s show humanity and consideration.’
Katya also ‘unfollowed’ Liz on Instagram after the couple’s rumoured split. She added that she would miss Wynne in the post to her Instagram Stories.
Katya and Wynne’s appearance on the Strictly series was marred by a ‘groping’ row after she had to remove Wynne’s hand from her waist during a show last October.
The dancer also appeared to snub a high-five attempt from Evans, but the pair both insisted the whole saga was a ‘joke’ that had been misunderstood.
