BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Wynne Evans says 'means the world' as he speaks out about support

The Welsh opera singer said he was heartbroken after his 'stupid joke' with Katya Jones

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Wynne Evans has thanked fans for their support following a tough week. The Welsh opera singer, famed for the Go Compare TV adverts, went viral after a clip of his dance partner Katya Jones pushing his hand away from her waist during a live BBC show was shared.

A second clip of the pair showing Wynne trying to high-five Jones and getting rejected was also widely shared on social media. Wynne later said he was 'heartbroken' over the incident and suggestions he had made Katya 'uncomfortable'.

Speaking on Monday on BBC Radio Wales, where he hosts a programme, he said: "I'm absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day. It's not nice to live in that time, but basically Katya and I are really, really close and we're really good friends, and on Saturday night we made a stupid joke. It was a stupid joke that went wrong, OK? We thought it was funny. It wasn't funny. It has been totally misinterpreted."

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In a fresh update to fans after he and Katya were saved from elimination on Sunday night, Wynne, 52, wrote on Instagram: "So grateful that we get to dance again next week! Thank you to everyone that voted and that has given us your support, it means the world to @katyajones and I. Week 6 here we come! #strictly @bbcstrictly."

The pair are through to Halloween Week on the hit BBC show. Fans rushed to support the star, with one commenting: "Well done Wynne, you deserve it, Blackpool here you come. Now get that mischievous grin back on your chops and keeeep dancing. You're doing us proud."

Another said: "So well done! Brilliant dance, you are a perfect dance partnership, I love watching you both dance! You have all my votes every week! Wynne to Win." And a third added: "You got all three of my votes this week - such a joyful routine, brilliantly danced; made me smile all the way through, and that’s what the show should always be about. Well done."

Katya also defended Wynne following the viral clip. She said he had been "portrayed as someone he is not".

"I have to make this absolutely clear, that this whole incident with the hand and the high five on Saturday night, it was an inside joke between Wynne and I," she told the It Takes Two programme. "Was it a silly joke, yes, was it a bad joke, yes."