Vanessa Feltz has blasted Wynne Evans’ behaviour as ‘despicable’ and ‘predatory,’ following the sexual slur furore on the Strictly tour.
The 62-year-old broadcaster made the comments on her YouTube channel, condemning the Welsh opera singer, 53, for his ‘spitroast’ remarks aimed at It Take Two presenter Janette Manrara during a press event for the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour.
She said: ‘What he said was A revolting, B despicable, C predatory, D bullying – it goes on and on and on.
‘It was in every way demeaning to women, insulting to Janette Manrara, an affront to decent behaviour, a complete disregarding of MeToo as if it had never happened, as if the ‘old ways’ are still the good ways.’
The radio host continued: ‘What he said was inappropriate, demeaning to women, and an affront to decent behaviour.’
Vanessa denounced the ‘spitroast’ slur incident as a sign that the showbusiness industry had failed to learn from the MeToo movement.
Vanessa Feltz has blasted Wynne Evans’ behaviour as despicable and predatory, following the sexual slur furore on the Strictly tour
The 62-year-old broadcaster made the comments on her YouTube channel, condemning the Welsh opera singer for his ‘spitroast’ remarks aimed at It Take Two presenter Janette Manrara during a press event for the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour
‘Nobody’s even realised that you shouldn’t make jokes or comments like that about women in public or indeed in private. That’s never happened. Weinstein never went to prison, MeToo never happened, there’s been no heightening of consciousness or awareness about this sort of thing.’
‘Women are people. Men are people. We all have to treat each other with professionalism and respect in the workplace, on the bus, on the train and bloody well everywhere else.
‘I was really really hoping that we were inching towards it. Now Cate Blanchett says MeToo hasn’t taken root in Hollywood. I don’t think it’s taken root here either. I do not think so in the least.’
She concluded with a strong condemnation: ‘It is despicable to behave like this. It is despicable that anyone can get away with behaving like this.
‘It is despicable, I think, for anyone to defend behaving in this nasty, bullying, sexually predatory, disrespectful way. And I for one am not sorry that Wynne is no longer on the Strictly tour.’
Vanessa also gave her verdict on an earlier incident in which Wynne appeared to place his hand around his dance partner Katya Jones’ waist before she moved it away during a live broadcast.
‘The two of them conspired to pass it off as nothing, just a private joke. But it must have been embarrassing behind the scenes, he must have felt, ‘Oh my God, I really should not be seen to do something like that – and I shouldn’t just be seen to do it, I shouldn’t do it.’
Vanessa also reflected on the #MeToo movement, following comments from Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett, who recently shared her disappointment at the movement’s lack of impact in Hollywood.
‘Cate Blanchett, the Oscar-winning actress, has just said in an interview that #MeToo has not really taken root in America. She’s terribly disappointed, she thought it would,’ Vanessa said.
Feltz said: ‘What he said was A revolting, B despicable, C predatory, D bullying – it goes on and on and on. It was in every way demeaning to women, insulting to Janette Manrara, an affront to decent behaviour, a complete disregarding of MeToo as if it had never happened, as if the ‘old ways’ are still the good ways’
Ms Manrara, 41, a professional dancer, is hosting the Strictly live tour
Feltz said: ‘What he said was A revolting, B despicable, C predatory, D bullying – it goes on and on and on. It was in every way demeaning to women, insulting to Janette Manrara, an affront to decent behaviour, a complete disregarding of #MeToo as if it had never happened, as if the ‘old ways’ are still the good ways’
‘I was broadcasting in 2017, I was live on the BBC when the first allegations against Harvey Weinstein surfaced, and I know exactly what I said to my lovely listeners that morning.
‘I said, ‘Is this just a Hollywood thing? Is it just showbiz? Because I don’t think it’s got anything to do with that at all.’
‘I said that sort of behaviour is prevalent in minicab companies, in the geography department of schools, in banks, in advertising agencies, in hairdressing salons – in other words, absolutely everywhere.
‘And the lines and the switchboard lit up, it looked like the Blackpool Illuminations. There was simply female caller after female caller saying the same thing.’
Vanessa warned that attitudes towards women had not changed enough and accused figures such as Andrew Tate and Donald Trump of perpetuating a culture of misogyny.
It comes as The Sun have reported that Wynne has hired Russels – a London-based entertainment firm.
A source close to Wynne told the publication: ‘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.’
It follows the news that Wynne has hired the same crisis PR expert tasked with saving the career of another of the show’s outcasts, Graziano Di Prima
Last year, Borkowski was hired by pro dancer Di Prima, 30, after he was sacked by Strictly for verbally and physically abusing his celebrity partner Zara McDermott
He is also reportedly trying to salvage his famous spot with Go Compare, whom he has worked with since 2009, as he risks losing his six-figure salary.
It follows the news that Wynne has hired the same crisis PR expert tasked with saving the career of another of the show’s outcasts, Graziano Di Prima.
Evans has taken on veteran publicist Mark Borkowski in a bid to ease the crisis surrounding him.
Last year, Borkowski was hired by pro dancer Di Prima, 30, after he was sacked by Strictly for verbally and physically abusing his celebrity partner Zara McDermott.
He instructed the Italian hunk to lie low and protect his mental health and a similar strategy is likely to be deployed on Evans.
