Lorraine Kelly scathingly labels Wynne Evans a ‘nutter’ after Strictly tour controversy

Lorraine Kelly has called Wynne Evans a ‘nutter’ when discussing him being caught making a crude sexual comment.

Last week the Strictly Come Dancing star, 52, was filmed joking about a three-way – or ‘spit roast’ – involving Strictly Live presenter and professional dancer Janette Manrara.

The Welsh opera singer was captured making the obscene comment during a photo event for the Strictly live tour at Birmingham Arena – earning him a reprimand from BBC bosses, who told him that such behaviour would not be tolerated.

On Wednesday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, she commented on the controversy.

Lorraine said she believed Wynne ‘had to’ take a break from the public eye and ‘think about what he’s done’.

‘I thought come on, I just don’t get it, I don’t understand that or know why you think that was acceptable,’ she said of his comment.

Lorraine Kelly has labelled Wynne Evans a ‘nutter’ after he was caught making a crude remark on camera (Picture: ITV)

He announced this week he was stepping down from the Strictly live tour (Picture: Dave Hogan/ Shutterstock)

‘What kind of nutter does that when they are being filmed?

‘It’s bad enough to think it but then say it, I don’t know, I don’t understand it. I am constantly baffled.’

On Monday the presenter also discussed the matter on her show and made her thoughts clear.

While explaining what unfolded, Lorraine said she wouldn’t repeat what Evans said, adding: ‘But suffice to say it’s really not on.’

She then told him to ‘do better mate’ after reading out his apology.

Evans apologised over the weekend for the ‘inappropriate’ comment (Picture: Steve Welsh)

It was also confirmed on Monday that Evans would be ‘taking time off’ from presenting his show on BBC Radio Wales.

However, the BBC has refused to comment on whether Evans voluntarily took leave from his programme or if he had been asked not to present, as reported by BBC.

Although Evans had been expected to present his show on Monday morning, BBC Wales said in a statement that comedian Robin Morgan, who has covered for Evans in the past, would instead be leading the show while Evans took some time off.

Earlier this week, The Daily Mail, obtained footage of Evans making the now-infamous remark while posing for a photo opportunity with Manrara, 41, and the rest of the Strictly Live cast.

It was at this point he is alleged to have made reference to a ‘spit roast’ – a three-way involving Marara and other contestants on the show.

While Manrara’s reaction is obscured in the footage, EastEnders star Borthwick apparently winced at the comment.

The Opera singer and Go Compare star was among last year’s Strictly line-up (Picture: PA Wire)

Evans is said to have made the comment during a photo opportunity for the live shows (Picture: Daily Mail/ Dolly Busby)

Describing the moment, Mail journalist Dolly Busby wrote: ‘As I filmed, he made a deeply abhorrent sexual comment about a female colleague.’

She continued: ‘It was frankly disgusting – and, as a young woman, I was appalled on her behalf and deeply offended myself.

‘Turning to the 30-year-old EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick as they posed for a group photo, Evans suggested – joking, if you can call it that – a three-way sex act.’

Bosses then reportedly reprimanded Evans for the comment, with an insider telling The Mail: ‘Wynne was hauled over the coals for his unacceptable language and was told in no uncertain terms that it would not be tolerated and this was his final warning. It was a proper dressing-down.

The tabloid’s source added: ‘Wynne also gave a grovelling apology to Janette and her furious husband, Aljaz.’

Evans’ comment is said to have come at the expense of presenter Janette Manrara (Credits: Jacob King/ PA Wire)

Evans told Metro in a statement: ‘My language was inappropriate and unacceptable, for which I sincerely apologise.’

A spokesman for BBC Studios and the Strictly Live Tour producers also said: ‘We were not previously aware of the remark and did not receive any complaints.

‘We have made it very clear to Wynne that we do not tolerate such behaviour on the tour.’

This comes after Evans was forced to pull out from two live shows this weekend, having suffered an injury to his ankle.

Taking to his Instagram story with the news, Evans shared a snap of his bruised foot, writing: ‘Turned my ankle last night in the show but I’m being a brave soldier.’

Evans found himself unable to dance after injury (Picture: Wynne Evans/ Instagram)

He’s issued an update regarding his injury (Picture: Instagram/ Wynne Evans)

He issued a further update on Saturday, sharing another pic of his foot with the caption: ‘Ankle update. It just turned on stage in Newcastle.’

‘Sore but swelling is coming out so feeling positive,’ he continued

While he was unable to dance, he did still take to the stage for the live shows—singing instead.

In a video update, he said: ‘Ankle’s getting a bit better. It was great to be able to sing in Glasgow tonight even if I wasn’t able to dance.

‘Hopefully back tomorrow but watch this space I’ll let you know in the morning how the swelling goes down and all that kind of stuff.’

Evans first found himself at the centre of controversy last year after his partner on the BBC dance competition, Katya Jones, appeared to forcibly remove his hand from her waist—and then rejected his offer of a high five.

The pair later passed the matter off as a ‘bad joke,’ and they eventually became the eighth couple to leave the dance competition in 2024.

Evans looked cosy with co-stars Tasha Ghouri, Katya Jones and Jamie Borthwick (Picture: Katya Jones/ Instagram)

He was at the heart of scandal after a ‘joke’ misfired last year (Picture: BBC)

With this latest controversy raging on, Evans has received a show of solidarity from Jones, 35, who shared an image of herself and Evans – along with co-stars Jamie Borthwick and Tasha Ghouri – titled ‘tour fam.’

Originally posted by Ghouri to her own Instagram story, the image shows the four stars gathered at a bar together, sharing a drink and a hug.

As Jones sips from her drink, Evans covers Borthwick’s face with his hand, and a beaming Ghouri poses with her arm around the TV soprano.

Go compare this show of support with the chilly exchange which originally sparked rumours of so-called ‘wandering hands’ in the first place.

Metro has contacted the BBC for comment.

This article was originally published on January 26, 2025.

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