Wynne Evans has claimed he is no longer friends with his former Strictly Come Dancing partner Katya Jones after she refused to publicly support him following his axing from the show's live tour. The opera singer was dropped from the Strictly tour in 2024 over inappropriate sexual remarks, and has now revealed the fallout ended his friendships with Jones and fellow contestant Jamie Borthwick.
Responding to questions from TikTok users about whether he is still friends with Jones and EastEnders star Borthwick, Evans said: "Short answer: no. Longer answer, of course they all reached out to me when I left and privately they all gave me their support. But when I asked them to do it publicly, they said they'd have to check with their publicists." He claimed Jones and Borthwick were worried their careers would suffer if they were seen publicly speaking out in his aid.
"I kind of understood that, even though, I'm a guy who, if I'm your friend I'm your friend through thick and thin," Evans continued. "That really surprised me about the whole celebrity community, I thought they were my friends but actually it was c***. All my friends from opera, no problem at all, I hear from them all the time. So yeah, no I don't hear from them." He added that the one Strictly connection he has kept is with judge Anton Du Beke.
The claims add to the ongoing turmoil around Strictly Come Dancing, which has endured a bruising period of scandals. The 2026 series has seen a turbulent start after Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe replaced Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who confirmed their departure during the 2025 series. Viewers have criticised the new presenting line-up, with fans complaining that the hosts' roles were not shaken up for the first elimination show.
The show has also faced criticism over its celebrity casting, with viewers questioning whether figures like celebrity hairdresser Chris Appleton - eliminated early in the series - really qualify as celebrities. A Times commentator recently described the brand as decimated by scandals, noting that celebrities have been kicked by professional dancers and that Amanda Abbington received five-figure compensation from the BBC after a protracted legal case. Against that backdrop, Evans' public airing of grievances is the latest reminder that Strictly's glittering surface continues to mask deep backstage tensions.
Evans' axing from the Strictly tour in 2024 was one of several controversies that battered the BBC's flagship entertainment show, alongside allegations of abusive behaviour by professional dancers that led to a full review of the programme's duty of care. The BBC introduced chaperones in training rooms and overhauled its welfare policies in response. Evans has since attempted to rebuild his career through social media and live appearances, but his latest outburst suggests the wounds from his Strictly exit are far from healed.