Wynne Evans and Katya Jones’ awful joke slammed as ‘no laughing matter’ by Women’s Aid --[Reported by Umva mag]

Wynne Evans and Katya Jones’s ‘inside joke’ has been criticised for trivalising sexually inappropriate behaviour towards women by Women’s Aid.

On Strictly Com Dancing, the Go Compare star, 52, became the centre of a PR storm this weekend, after his partner appeared to forcibly remove his hand from her waist, and then reject his offer of a high five.

Katya later came to the opera singer’s defence and said the viral ‘hand incident’ was nothing more than a ‘very silly joke’ and was heartbroken he was ‘portrayed as someone he’s not.’

However, Women’s Aid has slammed the ‘joke’, saying that ‘inappropriate behaviour towards women is no laughing matter.’

They added in a statement to Metro: ‘With an epidemic of misogyny and violence against women and girls in the UK, we need a media culture where women feel safe to speak up, where sexually inappropriate conduct is not trivialised or joked about.

‘It’s important we challenge inappropriate “jokes” so we don’t continue normalising toxic attitudes that cultivate these forms of gender-based abuse.’

Earlier this week on It Takes Two, Katya addressed the saga head-on and said: ‘I have to address something that I feel like overshadowed our performance for absolutely no reason, and, quite frankly, I can’t bear sitting here watching this man being portrayed as someone he’s not.

‘And, in fact, it couldn’t be further away from the truth so I have to make this absolutely clear that this whole incident with the hand and the hand and the high-five on Saturday night was an inside joke between Wynne and I. Was it a silly joke? Yes. Was it a bad joke? Yes.

‘However, it was a joke and even the idea that it made me feel uncomfortable or offended in any way is total nonsense. Those that have doubts, you guys have got it wrong.

‘So, hopefully, this will be the end of it, and you [Wynne], just keep making me smile, please! Because my Sunday was pretty boring without you making me belly laugh all day long!’

Wynne also addressed the viral ‘hand incident’ and said he was ‘heartbroken’ by the fallout.

He told BBC Radio Wales: ‘I’m absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day.’

Wynne also re-iterated that the incident ‘bad joke’ between the pair of them – with Katya also describing accusations of wrongdoing as ‘total nonsense.’

On Tuesday, Richard Madeley was slammed for making a ‘tone deaf’ joke about the incident on Good Morning Britain, shocking viewers and his co-presenter Susanna Reid.

After senior correspondent Jonathan Swain mentioned Strictly’s catchphrase is “keep dancing”, Richard commented: ‘Do you think they’ll change the line to “keep groping”?’

Nearly left speechless, an unimpressed Susanna, 53, awkwardly replied: ‘Mmm.’

On X @ahsley_lovell28 fumed: ‘@GMB why do you employ the idiot @richardmadeley1 – tone deaf ‘joke’. So awkward. Read the roommate. #alanpartridge #Strictly #gmb.’

Echoing their sentiment, @KirstyJ80 raged: ‘What an utterly inappropriate comment from Madeley regarding the strictly (non) story #gmb.’

The damage may have already been done as bookies now predict that Wynne is in danger of elimination this weekend.

Weighing in with their odds for this weekend’s show, bookmakers Betfred revealed how Wynne’s prospects of elimination had shot up – putting him just behind former footballer and pundit Paul Merson, 56.

Sunday night’s episode ultimately saw TV handyman Nick Knowles eliminated following a dance-off against Shayne Ward.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.25pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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