My eyes do not deceive me – Strictly’s Katya pushed Wynne’s wandering hand away

The outraged reaction to a man's hand slithering over the body of a woman speaks volumes, says Mirror columnist Polly Hudson. It's almost as if all females have at one time experienced it…

Actions speak louder than words. Or, to quote American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson, “What you do speaks so loudly I can't hear what you say.” That was as true when he said it back in the 1800s as it is today, in the wake of Handgate, the latest Strictly controversy.

The problem with all the protesting too much and confusing apologies is that we saw what happened with our own eyes. This wasn’t something that took place in the rehearsal room, or backstage, a he said/she said. This was broadcast on primetime television.

Wynne Evans’ hand slowly slithered across the stomach of Katya Jones, and, with a fixed smile so rigid, it looked like she was almost grimacing, she put her hand firmly over it and returned it to her waist.

A bit later, he tried to give her a double high five, and she left him hanging, turning her back on him with a face like absolute thunder. Ho ho ho… what a hilarious in-joke that they definitely planned in advance.

Then follows multiple social media videos and an appearance on It Takes Two where Katya claims it was all just pre-arranged japes and that she didn’t feel uncomfortable. Wynne meanwhile, says he is “heartbroken” that a “stupid joke” has been “misinterpreted”. This after he apologised – to viewers, not Katya – while simultaneously insisting he’d done nothing wrong, because it was all just bantz remember.

Can’t think of any reason Katya – a replaceable dancer rather than celebrity booking, well aware of the danger of another Strictly scandal – would have to say this even if it wasn’t how she really felt.

Katya is female, so of course a barrage of criticism is currently being aimed at her, the entirely innocent party in this thing that totally didn’t even happen in the first place.

She didn’t mind his hands on her when they were dancing did she? Well no, because she was doing her job, and that’s part of it, because she's a professional dancer – that doesn’t mean her partner has the right to touch her wherever he likes when they’re not dancing.

She kissed former partner Seann Walsh so she’s obviously fine with the famous contestants being all over her. Again, no, because that was in her free time, with her consent, and is proof that she has extremely questionable taste in men, but nothing else.

Whatever the truth of this incident between Wynne and Katya – although just to recap, we literally saw it – one thing is certain. The huge reaction to a man's wandering hand on the body of a woman who potentially does not want it there speaks volumes.

I don't know many women who haven't experienced this, or something like it, often from someone, as in this situation, where the power dynamic isn't weighted in their favour.

Good for Katya, who did what so many of us haven’t yet managed to – an instant, definite repositioning of the hand so automatic it didn't even seem to matter she was on national television at the time. Women, let’s all remember that, the next we’re involved in a hysterical gag where our bodies are the punchline yet again.