The Welsh opera singer was previously asked to step down from the Strictly live tour after an uncouth joke he made about a co-star was leaked to the press
Strictly Come Dancing is believed to be embroiled in controversy, this time over allegations of ‘inadequate’ care after an injury, as Wynne Evans has reportedly taken legal action after allegedly being told to perform on a broken foot during the live tour.
The 53-year-old opera singer is allegedly suing production company Phil McIntyre Entertainments, which is responsible for the live tour, for personal injury, claiming he was “strapped up” and expected to continue dancing despite suffering from a double fracture and two snapped ligaments.
It has been claimed that Evans fell from the stage during a performance in Newcastle in January, just days before he was caught on camera making a lewd “spit roast” remark at the tour’s Birmingham launch.
A source claimed to the Sun: “He was basically bandaged up and told to keep smiling and carry on. He was in agony. The following night, he had to pull out of Glasgow, then the following day ‘spit-roast-gate’ kicked off — just as his foot started to swell up.”
An MRI scan later revealed the full extent of Evans’ injuries. He had a broken foot, a fractured ankle, and two torn ligaments. Four months on, he is reportedly still struggling to walk without experiencing pain.
His legal team is now believed to be arguing that the backstage medical provision was “inadequate” and that he should be compensated for his continuing discomfort and spiralling physio bills. They also claim that Wynne’s lawyers have argued that he has a legitimate injury claim.
Evans, who had also been presenting a show on BBC Radio Wales, was taken off air while the broadcaster investigates his inappropriate backstage comment which was directed at Janette Manrara and captured on video.
Despite apologising at the time, Evans has since attempted to backtrack, claiming the audio was “manipulated” and insisting he has done “nothing wrong”.
Listener numbers for his BBC Wales show have dropped sharply since his suspension, with several blaming the broadcaster for removing him prematurely.
However others have been less forgiving, and some called his denial of the footage “disingenuous”, telling him to own up to his mistakes and not blame the tabloids.
Sadly, Wynne’s situation isn’t unique, as Strictly has a history of stars dancing through injuries. Zara McDermott reportedly continued to perform with a stress fracture that later required surgery, and Paralympian Will Bayley was left with “life-altering” damage after a rehearsal fall.
This latest legal drama adds to a growing list of headaches for the BBC’s flagship dance show, which already came under fire last year after actress Amanda Abbington levelled bullying allegations against professional dancer Giovanni Pernice.
During an appearance on ITV, Amanda told Lorraine: “It was bullying and I put up with it for five weeks. It started very early on, and when it started to happen, I shut down because I recognised those red flags.”
A spokesperson for Giovanni responded saying: “We would urge people to wait for the review’s conclusion and not to pay heed to these very serious and defamatory allegations that have no evidence in support of them.”
Wynne Evans’ manager has been contacted for comment. Phil McIntyre Entertainment has also been approached for comment.
Source: Mirror
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