Strictly star Wynne Evans' heartbreaking split from wife and quiet life with two kids

The Welsh opera singer was paired with professional dancer Katya Jones for the latest season of Strictly Come Dancing, with online rumours flying around about their interactions

Wynne Evans has been doing Wales proud on the latest season of Strictly Come Dancing.

Paired with professional dancer Katya Jones, the pair impressed fans with their tango, but it was their interactions off the dance floor that got people talking.

Away from the limelight, he is the son of a well-known mother and prefers to live a quiet life with his two children.

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Well-known mother

Wynne was born on 27 January 1972, making him 52 years old. While he goes by the name Wynne, his real birth name is James.

He is originally from Carmarthen in Wales, where he comes from a well-known family thanks to his mother, Elizabeth Evans. He was awarded an MBE, a Member of the Order of the British Empire due to her long and impactful career. She founded and ran both The Carmarthen Youth Opera and The Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen for 25 years.

Elizabeth passed away in 2004, with a film made about her life called Save The Cinema. Her son Wynne made a cameo in the movie.

Wynne and his two brothers founded The Elizabeth Evans Trust in her honour.

Family life

Wynne was previously married to his girlfriend Tanwen in 1999, however, they got divorced in 2016. Tanwen is a trained violinist who went to the Royal College of Music. They met after attending the same British Youth Orchestra course.

The pair share two children together, 18-year-old Ismay and 16-year-old Taliesin.

Wynne explained that his life around the time his marriage broke up was “the saddest [he'd] ever been in [his] life”.

“I would think about [suicide], I would try and action it... I couldn't see a way out; I couldn't see a way of ever being happy again,” he told WalesOnline.

“I was feeling suicidal, and it was terrible… I just thought, I'm either going to do something terrible or I need to go and see a proper psychiatrist,” he said.

He felt “alive again” after focusing on his physical and mental health.

Strictly Come Dancing feud

Wynne was announced as part of the cast for the latest season of Strictly Come Dancing. He was paired with professional dancer Katya Jones.

Viewers of the show have been asking if there is a feud going on between Wynne and Katya after she was seen removing his hands from her waist during last week’s episode.

Addressing the rumoured feud between them, she cleared up the controversy on BBC's accompanying programme It Takes Two.

“The idea that it made me feel uncomfortable or offended in any way is total nonsense, and those that have doubts, you guys have got it wrong,” she said.

“So hopefully this will be the end of it, and you just keep making me smile. I can't sit here watching this man being portrayed as someone he's not.”

Sharing a picture of them after Saturday’s broadcast, she wrote: “Another week of dancing !!! thank you! Thank you so much for your kind support everyone! We are so excited for the next dance. Every day Wynne makes me smile and laugh, but every Saturday he leaves me absolutely speechless when he takes the dance to another level ! It is soo impressive and I can’t wait to create another number for you to perform! Week 5!!! Whoop whoop!!”

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, contact Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie.

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