STRICTLY star Vito Coppola has revealed the truth behind Katya Jones and Wynne Evans’ “grope” shock on Saturday night.
The professional dancer, 32, appeared on ITV‘s This Morning today with his celeb partner Sarah Hadland.
The pair were asked to address the recent controversy by co-hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley.
The Italian dancer said pro dancers often “prank” their celeb contestants – saying it was only a bit of harmless fun.
Ben said: “It’s been a difficult week in many ways and you’re on the inside of it, with Wynne and Katya.
“We saw what happened on the weekend and we’ve seen it since, that they’ve come out and made it very clear that they’re great mates, it was a joke.
“But it’s when you understand how forensically people are pouring over the show and are looking for the slightest bit of information or nuance over what’s going on. How does that feel?”
Sarah replied: “Especially for a show like Strictly, as you say there’s so much attention, you’ve got to go into it completely being yourself and keep doing that, because I wouldn’t be able to maintain something that isn’t yourself.
“So I think you’ve got to be who you are, react how you react to stuff and that’s all you can do and hope that people connect with that.”
Ben then asked if it was an “eye-opener that they are constantly being scrutinised” and how things can be “misconstrued”.
Vito said: “The key is to be yourself, the fun…I’m constantly pranking Sarah here.
“I’m constantly waiting behind a door [and jump out].”
Sarah went on: “If we have a toilet break and I’m quite a jumpy person and I jump even more.”
Show veteran Katya, 35, was seen removing the hand of dance partner Wynne, 52, as it slid further round her stomach in the section of Strictly where co-host Claudia Winkleman talks about what’s coming up next.
That came minutes after he was seen holding his arms up for a double high five from Katya, only for her to reject him, looking disgusted.
On Monday, on BBC Two Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two, Katya insisted that the controversy had overshadowed their performance “for absolutely no reason”.
She added: “Quite frankly I actually can’t bear sitting here watching this man being portrayed as someone he’s not.
“In fact it couldn’t be further away from the truth.
“So I have to make absolutely clear, that this whole incident with the hand and the high five on Saturday night, it was an inside joke between Wynne and I.
“Was it a silly joke? Yes. Was it a bad joke? Yes.
“However, it was a joke and even the idea that it made me feel uncomfortable or offended in any way is totally nonsense.
“Those that have doubts, you guys have got it wrong.
“So hopefully this will be the end of it.”
Wynne added: “I’ve watched it back and I can see how people might have misinterpreted it.”
The controversy is the last thing the beleaguered corporation wanted after a summer of scandal which saw pros Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima leave the show amid allegations of bad behaviour.
Earlier yesterday, a TV insider said: “Strictly wanted to draw a line under one of the most troubling periods in the programme’s history, which had viewers deeply suspicious about what went on behind the scenes of the show.
“Allegations of inappropriate physical and sexual behaviour seemed to take some of the shine off the dance contest and bosses were looking forward to restoring the glitz and fun.
“Now there’s this bizarre incident which seems to suggest some tension between Wynne and Katya, not to mention inappropriate touching.
“The rap over the knuckles from Strictly was informal and there aren’t any plans to take any further action against them.
“But ultimately, amid all the controversy, viewers are left not knowing quite what to think.”
Behind the scenes, Beeb bosses are said to be furious about the incident, but seem to believe Katya and Wynne’s explanation that it was a gag both were complicit in.
On Sunday Katya and Wynne made a joint online video in which they apologised for what happened.
During it, Katya said: “We were just messing around in the Clauditorium and just want to say sorry.”
Best known for playing opera singer Gio Compario on the Go Compare TV adverts, Wynne did a radio interview at the weekend as the hashtag “GropeCompare” started to go viral.
He said: “I’m absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day.
“Katya and I are really, really close and really good friends.
“It was a stupid joke that went wrong, OK?
“We thought it was funny. It wasn’t funny.
“I’m sorry if anybody was offended by it, but it was a joke.
“I feel weird apologising because I feel like I’ve not done anything.”
