'I was at my lowest ebb; I wanted to end my life...' Wynne Evans plunged into depression by Strictly Come Dancing backlash
Wynne Evans has admitted he was plunged into a deep depression and at his lowest he wanted to end his own life as he dealt with the fallout from his exit from the 'Strictly Come Dancing' live tour.
Wynne Evans contemplated taking his own life as he sank into a deep depression following his Strictly Come Dancing scandal.
The 53-year-old opera singer - who is best known for appearing in the GoCompare adverts - competed on the BBC Latin and ballroom show with Katya Jones last year and had been starring in the nationwide tour alongside his fellow contestants but he left the tour after making a comment that was deemed sexually inappropriate during a photo call.
Wynne had used the sexually suggestive term "spit roast" to describe host Janette Manrara during a private joke with 'EastEnders' actor and fellow 'Strictly' contestant Jamie Borthwick and a video emerged of the misjudged gag.
Now, Wynne has opened up on the severe toll the situation took on his mental health admitting he went to his "lowest ebb" and required constant support from his friends and family to pull him through.
Appearing on This Morning, he said: "I’ve had clinical depression since 2016 and I want to talk about it today, because I want other people to find strength in that.
“It took me to the darkest spot in my life.
“I was at my lowest ebb; I wanted to end my life. I would have if I hadn’t been surrounded by people.
“I was under the crisis team for a month and they just look after you the whole time. My friends and my family and my girlfriend did a rota so that they could be with me 24 hours-a-day, sitting up with me, because it was just so relentless.
“To my daughter I said, ‘I’m sorry, I’ve brought shame on the family.’ Even though I didn’t do what they said I did I’d still brought all these headlines. She just said, ‘Look dad, I know you, you’re just a kind person, I want you to know I can see the video, I’ve seen it for myself, I know exactly what you said.’
"They’ve been absolutely brilliant and my girlfriend has been fantastic as well."
Wynne was also criticised for sending a sex toy in the mail to Jamie while on tour, something which was later shared by the actor on WhatsApp, and the singer admitted to This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley that "it was just a joke that went too far" due to the friendship between the pair backstage.
In the wake of his departure from the 'Strictly Come Dancing' live tour, which led to a four month investigation, Wynne was axed from his BBC Radio Wales show.
He claims he has received no mental health support from the BBC in the last few months as he tried to come to terms with his situation.
He said: "I haven’t heard from them since I got suspended, personally. I don’t know, they’ve only spoken to my lawyers.
“I just think sometimes mental health is talked about, we have world mental health week, we have mental health day and all these initiatives but I fear sometimes it’s just lip service.
"I think we’ve become brilliant with equality, and opening access to people with abilities and disabilities but mental health is still a really grey area where we can say, ‘Oh yeah, we’ve got this policy in place, we’ve got that policy in place,’ but really you need to look after these people with mental health issues because in a flip of a light switch the light can go out."
Wynne - who got engaged to his girlfriend Liz Brookes over the weekend while they were on holiday in Marrakesh, Morocco - now regrets agreeing to appear on Strictly Come Dancing, describing the talent show as a "pressure cooker".
He said: "To the people watching it, keep watching it, the dancing is beautiful.
“For me, I wouldn’t do it. I didn’t think it was a safe environment for me to do Strictly. I wouldn’t do it. I loved the dancing, I love Katya, I love Janette, I love all the guys who were there. It was just the attention, it was a pressure cooker. I’m happy now to be back in Wales."
Wynne is now launching his own radio show and getting back to his singing career, and he has thanked all his listeners - who he calls his "Wynners" - and his fans for their unwavering support during this turbulent period of his life.
Talking with This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, he said: "I’ve taken a bit of a Chris Evans move. I’m going to start my own show, on my own. On Monday, Wynneevamsshow.com, 9-12. I’m really looking forward to that.
“I’m singing. I’ve got a tour coming up in early 2026. I put a show on sale thinking, ‘Does anyone actually want to see me anymore?’ I just put one on sale and it sold out in 20 minutes. The support from the Wynners, as we call them, the people who listen to my show, has been incredible.
"The public support has just been absolutely off the scale and that has warmed my heart and kept me going."
