Strictly judge Shirley Ballas gives verdict on Katya Jones after Wynne Evans hand incident
Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has labelled professional dancer Katya Jones as "a little bit of a jokester" following a viral incident where she appeared to move her celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away from her waist. Another clip from Strictly’s live show on Saturday, October 12 which showed Katya refusing a high-five from Wynne was widely circulated on social media.
The pair apologised after the incident, describing the moment as a "joke". Katya defended Wynne, stating he had been "portrayed as someone he is not", while the 52-year-old Welsh opera singer and radio presenter expressed his heartbreak over the reaction.
Speaking about the incident at the Pride Of Britain Awards, Shirley told the PA news agency: "I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Wynne, I’ve known Katya for 25 years, she is a little bit of a jokester all round that lovely child, and he is just the most phenomenal person you will ever meet."
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She also praised the BBC dancing show’s "off the chart" cast, highlighting comedian Chris McCausland for bringing "light to everything he does". Shirley added: "I think the cast is off the chart, when you go in on a Saturday morning it’s so full of atmosphere and love and jokes.
"Those comic people like Chris McCausland, you better see what’s lurking around the corners, because he’s so funny, and he brings light to everything he does, and of course, Pete (Wicks) is also very funny.
"So we’ve got a great cast and they all seem to have blended really, really well, there’s a great feeling backstage." For the latest TV & Showbiz news, sign up to our newsletter
She also revealed that the judges’ interactions have been enhanced this series: "They’ve turned up the judges’ mics now, we can banter with each other, I don’t know if you’ve noticed that. All in all, it’s just a tremendous show."
The Wynne and Katya incident came during a period of increased attention on the BBC One show following allegations from previous celebrities about their experiences. After Sherlock actress Amanda Abbington made a complaint about her 2023 professional dance partner, Giovanni Pernice, the BBC launched a review and chaperones have been put in place in all rehearsal rooms this year.
The BBC apologised to Amanda and said: "We have assessed the complaints and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made." Despite the claims, Giovanni, who has consistently dismissed the allegations, expressed relief when the inquiry concluded without finding him guilty of misconduct.
Strictly is gearing up for an exciting Halloween special, which will air this Saturday at 6.25pm, followed by the results show on Sunday at 7.20pm, both on BBC One and iPlayer.
