The pair orchestrated a strategic and controversial PR campaign to put an end to Strictly’s ‘touch gate’ scandal.
And last night, Katya Jones took no chances that a repeat dance partner Wynne Evans would touch her waist again by standing next to fellow professional Nancy Xu – who wrapped her arms around the Russian beauty.
As the BBC One show started, Nancy was seen in what appeared to be an attempt to protect Katya, as the Welsh opera singer stood behind her with his arms firmly behind his back.
Whether it was yet another planned strategy to encourage Strictly fans – and the media – to insist there is nothing to see here is unknown, but it is the latest twist in the unedifying events that have engulfed the program since Amanda Abbington’s bullying.
Before last weekend, irrepressible opera singer Wynne won over millions of Strictly Come Dancing fans with his cheerfulness and determination to learn to dance.
Katya Jones took no chances on dance partner Wynne Evans touching her waist again by standing next to professional Nancy Xu – who wrapped her arms around the Russian beauty
He was best known for the Go Compare adverts and was even hailed as the savior of the controversial BBC show. But last week the larger-than-life star faced a barrage of criticism after viewers saw his hand slide down Katya’s waist as they stood in the green room. It prompted the professional dancer to forcefully pull his hand away, keeping his grimace in place. Then Evans tried to give Ms Jones a high five, but the Russian shot him a withering look, rolled her eyes and turned away. Sources said they were very concerned that ‘touch gate’ would affect their chances of winning.
What were they supposed to do? They quickly settled on a bold publicity strategy – but The Mail on Sunday can reveal their attempt to reject it as a joke has left some parts of the BBC ‘absolutely furious’.
Evans (52) was so keen to protect his healthy image that he enlisted the help of a crisis management PR. He and Mrs Jones, 35, gave instructions to Lou Plank, who worked with Ruth Langsford during her divorce from Eamonn Holmes. She is not, I am told, funded by the BBC and has no association with them.
Evans and Ms Jones immediately tried to defuse the row, posting on social media that they were ‘just messing around’ and that it was a ‘really stupid inside joke’.
Ms Jones also said that ‘the idea that this made me feel uncomfortable or offended in any way is complete nonsense.’
Last week, Evans faced a barrage of criticism after viewers spotted his hand wandering over Ms Jones’ waist as they stood in the green room
Evans said he was ‘heartbroken’ by the headlines it caused, while Ms Jones demanded the controversy end. I was told that this was certainly not the BBC’s preferred strategy.
An insider said: ‘There are some bosses here who are furious with Wynne for doing that, and that was clearly felt by [him] and Katya that they weren’t getting the support they wanted from the BBC, so they decided to do things their own way.
‘It’s fair to say the strategy wasn’t aligned, it was a case of Wynne and Katya doing what they wanted regardless of what the BBC thought.
‘The decision to introduce crisis PR also shows the extent to which they are determined to save their time on Strictly.’ But a BBC source said Ms Jones writing off her being touched as a joke was ‘definitely out of step with their increasingly woke culture’.
Things got even trickier when the charity Women’s Aid got involved. A statement said: “Inappropriate behavior towards women is no laughing matter.
‘With an epidemic of misogyny and violence against women and girls in Britain, we need a media culture where women feel safe to speak up, where sexually inappropriate behavior is not trivialized or made fun of. It is important that we challenge inappropriate ‘jokes’ so that we do not continue to normalize toxic attitudes that cultivate these forms of gender-based abuse.”
I’m told some BBC bosses were ‘mortified’ by the charity’s intervention. They were already dealing with the fallout from pro dancer Graziano Di Prima being fired in July for kicking his partner Zara McDermott last year.
Evans and Ms Jones’ approach of insisting they are good friends – and that it was all a misunderstanding – continued on Friday. They posted pictures of themselves walking up a mountain near Evans’ home in Cardiff.
Last night the pair danced a Quickstep to Mr Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra and scored 33 out of 40 points
They hoped to have finally drawn a line under the controversy, but the aftertaste still lingers. The BBC did not deny bringing Evans and Ms Jones in for questioning.
An insider said: ‘Why on earth would they tell her she was playing down the situation?’
Evans, meanwhile, is said to be ‘very angry’.
Last night the couple danced a Quickstep to Mr Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra and scored 33 out of 40 points. They did not elaborate on the scandal.
Former footballer Paul Merson, who scored 19 points with Karen Hauer, was praised for his ‘enthusiasm’ as a non-dancer.