Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at ‘absurd’ feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans’ hand away during live show

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

As a seasoned dance enthusiast with years of experience under my belt, I must admit that this year’s Strictly Come Dancing lineup has been quite the spectacle. But let me tell you, dear readers, nothing has left me more perplexed than the seemingly favorable treatment afforded to our very own Nick Knowles.


Katya Jones, a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, has shared the truth behind her actions when cameras spotted her pushing away her dance partner during an apparent uncomfortable encounter on Saturday night.

During the fourth live episode, when host Claudia Winkleman announced that the voting lines were now open, Wynne, aged 52, wrapped an arm around Katya who was 35 years old. However, she quickly pushed his hand away as it ventured towards her waist.

After their performance, a second chilly instance occurred where the Russian dancer seemed to decline her famous partner’s attempt at a hand slap following Sam Quek and Nikita Kumzin’s act.

With both arms extended, Katya appeared to intentionally face away from her partner rather than reciprocating the greeting.

Following comments from vigilant observers on social networking sites, they decided to clarify the matter on Instagram.

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

However, the Russian dancer has made it clear what transpired during the puzzling encounter.

On Sunday, she posted a video on Instagram clarifying that the incident was simply a misinterpretation and they were actually engaged in a private joke.

She called fan speculation about Wynne’s wandering hands ‘absurd’ and reassured fans not to worry. 

From within my cozy abode, I captured a snippet of sheer brilliance – a glimpse of my beloved idol adorning a striking purple sweater with a dazzling pink collar and cuffs that perfectly framed her visage. Her cascading waves of rich, chocolate-hued locks flowed freely around her, adding an ethereal charm to the scene.

She said: ‘Happy Sunday everyone. Now I need to make something crystal clear.

On Saturday night, the incident involving our hands was actually a rather amusing, harmless inside joke shared between Wynne and myself. Therefore, the notion that it could have possibly made me feel uneasy or offended is absolutely absurd.

To be honest, it’s truly impressive. Let’s concentrate instead on how exceptionally well he’s progressing and what a talented dancer he has turned out to be.

She then interrupted herself as her door buzzer was going off before explaining she had a delivery.

She concluded her video, saying she needed to leave urgently but with lots of affection, and then wished goodbye as she headed for the front door.

However, not everyone among her fanbase found it amusing. Many expressed confusion about the humor behind the post, questioning its meaning, and others had concerns that such a sensitive topic was being trivialized.

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

Beneath the star’s video, they commented: ‘You didn’t clarify that it was a joke? It seemed that way in the video. If you didn’t want his hand there, then you removed it? No problem’

In today’s context, it’s hard to find humor in situations like these because there are serious issues at hand. It’s challenging to perceive anything as amusing given the genuine worries people have expressed.

‘Then why did your face say otherwise ?!’

Katya’s recent video comes after the pair addressed the incident earlier in the day. 

In the video, Katya initiated by saying: “Greetings everyone, this is both Wynne and Katya speaking. On Saturday night, we were simply fooling around in the Clauditorium and we’d like to extend our apologies.

‘It was a silly joke,’ as Wynne added: ‘Yes sorry’. 

Later on, Wynne commented with: ‘I apologize for this; we were simply fooling around. But let me tell you, our friendship is truly extraordinary. The high fives are an ongoing inside joke. Enjoy your night, @katyajones!’

To be frank, while I appreciate the effort put into addressing the high-five gesture, I couldn’t help but notice that certain enthusiasts felt slightly let down due to the lack of discussion on other aspects covered in the original issue.

In response to the tweet, people commented: “I don’t see the humor in this… I understand the refusal to high-five and the eye roll, but what about the hand moving across Katya’s stomach and her moving it away, looking clearly uncomfortable? How can that be considered a ‘joke’?

‘What about the bit where he had wondering hands and you moved them away off your stomach.’

‘This is giving ‘we need to make this video or the producers will kick us off the show’ vibes.’

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

We focused more on the discomfort-induced motion of Katya’s hand on her stomach, as opposed to it being a high five.

‘The high 5 thing isn’t what people care about.’

Wynne’s hand seems to wander… although it might have been harmless, Katya appeared uneasy – whether it was a jest or not.

Viewers find themselves more persuaded that there may be issues within their relationship, as a past video of them talking about training resurfaces on platform X.

In the video, the professional opera singer asks the Russian beauty what she thinks of Wales.

He says: ‘How do you like living in Wales?’

Afterward, the ballroom dancer responded: “Wales has a striking beauty. Since my arrival, it’s consistently offered beautiful weather, which seems unusual, but for nine hours we’ve been together in the same room…

As the star answers the question, Wynne makes a facial expression, mentioning the weather, then turns back with a smile.

Meanwhile, Katya subtly expresses disapproval towards her dance partner by narrowing her eyes and speaking quietly, almost as if secretively.

Although the skilled vocalist may appear to view the remarks casually, some fans aren’t so sure and suspect there might be deeper problems lurking.

However, while certain fans remained anxious about the duo, many others breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that the event was just a harmless prank.

Supporters flocked to X to share their relief with the following message: “Oh, what a relief! Bless you both, Wynne and Katya. You absolutely nailed it tonight; your performance was fantastic! I’ve never seen Wynne without a smile before.

‘Glad you cleared that up we worry about stuff you know.’

‘Fabulous dance tonight, and we want lots more of them please!’ 

Unequivocally, viewers were taken aback when they initially witnessed the event unfold during the performance on Saturday evening.

The pair seemed to dance exceptionally well throughout their training, ending up third on the leaderboard with their stunning Tango for week four.

It appears that tensions might be growing between them, following a series of awkward exchanges noticed by fans on Twitter.

spectators swiftly pointed out an uncomfortable scene, expressing their responses on Twitter.

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

As an overly enthusiastic fan, I might rephrase that statement like this: “Did anyone else catch the moment when Katya gently moved Wynne’s hand aside?

‘Did anybody else just see Katya push away Wynne’s hand – she did that awkward smile.’

Towards the closing moments of Strictly Come Dancing, there was an uncomfortable incident when Wynne’s hand inadvertently moved over Katya’s waist. She quickly pushed his hand away.

‘Urgh…just seen the clip of Wynne. Katya was clearly uncomfortable’. 

In another post, viewing the video of the clumsy high-five, a fan commented: ‘Once more, you let Wynne hang, Katya’.

TopMob has contacted Strictly, Katya and Wynne’s representatives for comment. 

In the meantime, spectators are criticizing the judges for seemingly favoring two specific contestants by giving them higher scores, implying they are rooting for their victory.

Wynne and Katya received a total of 34 points for their Tango performance. Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke awarded them 8 points each, while Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse gave them 9 points each. This is their highest score to date.

Dancing the Tango to Abba’s Money Money Money, the judges praised him for his high energy routine, with Anton saying it was ‘tremendous’ and ‘one of your best performances.’

Craig said: ‘You bum was sticking up – but I loved, loved, loved it. Winner, winner, winner.’

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

Motsi concurred, expressing, “This was undoubtedly your finest dance so far; I’ve long anticipated it. The aspect that captivates me most is the storyline you present…perfectly paced.

Lead judge Shirley Ballas expressed admiration and stated, “I had goosebumps! It was filled with passion and conveyed a story. Your performance showed me that you’re determined to come out on top.

Nevertheless, certain fans disagreed with the criticism and alleged that BBC officials were favoring specific individuals instead.

Some believed Wynne is a ‘judges’ favourite’ and ‘very cliquey’ with them all.

This month, it came to light that Wynne has rediscovered love following the collapse of his 16-year marriage, a time when he seriously considered taking his own life.

This year, the opera singer has been in a romantic connection with Liz Brookes, an events manager who is 50 years old, for some time now.

Earlier, it was disclosed that Wynne experienced a particularly low point during his bouts of depression, which began following the separation from his wife Tanwen, who is the mother of their two kids, in 2016.

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

However, it’s currently known that Wynne is in a relationship with health enthusiast Liz, who is rumored to have assisted him in shedding pounds prior to his participation in Strictly.

According to a source, Wynne and Liz first encountered each other at a gathering, and they’re proceeding cautiously in their relationship. However, Wynne is quite enthusiastic about the potential future of their connection.

He has significantly improved since his divorce, almost unrecognizably so. It’s as if he stepped out of darkness and into light; he’s never been happier.

After shedding a remarkable 7 stone over the past year, which he humbly refers to as “some excess weight,” Wynne disclosed that he’s dropped even more pounds since joining the BBC One dance contest.

As for myself, I’ve found a newfound self-assurance in my physical form. Gaze as I might into the looking glass throughout the day, it remains an unfamiliar territory I’ve long steered clear of, but not any longer.

‘But I’m really enjoying it. I haven’t seen my neck in a long time. I feel like a giraffe!’

He puts his weight loss down to a ­c­alorie-controlled diet, long walks with his new love, events manager Liz Brookes, 50, and – of course – the ­physical demands of Strictly.

Previously, on last Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing, Nick Knowles made a comeback to the Dance-off stage, as he had taken a week off due to a knee injury.

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

Nick Knowles, aged 62, danced the Charleston inspired by Paddington, a theme from Movie Week, alongside his partner Luba Mushtuk. The production team granted them the opportunity to continue with their third week’s dance routine, as they had missed the previous show.

In honor of his ten-year-old son Eddie, Motsi Mabuse, the judge, applauded the dancer for his brave comeback, assuring him that “his son is surely going to feel proud.

After pouring all my effort into dancing earlier, Nick expressed sincerely to Claudia Winkleman, “Last week at this time, I believed I would be eliminated, but now I’m thrilled beyond words because I’ve made it through!

Luba exclaimed, “I’m completely amazed by this man and his tenacity. It’s simply gorgeous how he’s developed a passion for dance.

On Friday, medical professionals informed Nick that he could dance on the stage the following day, a week after an injury had compelled him to withdraw from Movie Week.

As he grinned beside his companion Luba at the start of the show, it was clear that he was thrilled to be dancing once more.

Viewers on Twitter had differing opinions about Nick’s performance, with some showing understanding for his injury while others felt less compassionate.

Many felt let down at the dance, as they wrote: “Nick Knowles returns, only to be eliminated again” or “After returning, Nick Knowles was once more sent home from the dance.

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show
Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones hits back at 'absurd' feud claims as Russian ballroom pro reveals why she pushed celebrity partner Wynne Evans' hand away during live show

“The judges are showing great leniency towards Nick, granting him numerous allowances.

‘Hhhmmm that actually felt like a lacklustre performance of the Charleston from Nick Knowles.

I’m a bit disheartened, primarily due to the fact that he had two whole weeks to grasp this routine, yet it lacked the expected level of exaggerated, quirky flair altogether.

Others expressed greater understanding of Nick’s injury with comments like: ‘Massive respect to Nick for not quitting the show despite his injury. Kudos to him for making it work even with an easier choreography. We’re grateful to still get to see him perform!’ or simply, ‘Well done Nick.’

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2024-10-13 21:06

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