Wynne Evans on Strictly and Go Compare advert that ‘paid for his house’

As a fan who has been following Wynne Evans‘ career for years, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nostalgia as he embarks on his new adventure with Strictly Come Dancing. From the twizzle-moustachioed hero of car insurance commercials to an opera singer and radio presenter, Wynne has always managed to captivate audiences with his unique charm and charisma.

As Gio Comparo, the mustache-twirling car insurance icon played by Wynne Evans, graced our television screens for years, but now, the Welsh opera singer and radio host is ready to show off his dance moves, whether elegant or eccentric, as he embarks on Strictly Come Dancing for the first time.

Will he return for another performance with Katya Jones, or will he leave the stage after this round?

Wynne, you’ve previously won Celebrity MasterChef. How does this compare?

Wynne: It’s quite challenging. While I had some cooking abilities with MasterChef, this is a whole new ball game. Someone recently asked me, “Are you planning to do the triple? You’ve done MasterChef, Strictly Come Dancing. Are you going to do Naked Attraction?” Absolutely not! It would be awkward for me and it wouldn’t be enjoyable for you.

You’re obviously musical – but how does your dancing shape up?

Wynne: This isn’t just learning a new language; it’s more like reading sheet music for a piece of music. I can easily perform it after reading it once, even in front of a large crowd. But this task here involves memorizing the dance moves instead.

Katya: I’m going to be like… [Katya, who is from Saint Petersburg, starts speaking Russian].

Wynne speaks Russian?!

Katya: He was performing a Russian opera for me, yet he doesn’t understand the lyrics himself. Neither did I at first; we had to look it up online!

Wynne: Over the years, I’ve performed numerous Russian operas. Once, at short notice, I stepped in at Covent Garden to sing the role of Cherevichki from Tchaikovsky’s opera. Seeing my performance, Sergei Leiferkus, the baritone, seemed to question my grasp of the language with an expressive look. Similarly, Katya had that same questioning gaze.

Katya: What’s the biggest crowd you’ve performed in front of?

Wynne: Perhaps around 85,000 people attended the last game at White Hart Lane, where Tottenham Hotspur once played. Beforehand, I went to a pub where everyone was excitedly guessing who would be singing at the end of the match, as it was a secret. They were speculating that it might be Adele since she’s a Spurs fan and they thought she’d perform “Glory, Glory, Tottenham Hotspur.” I found myself in this pub, amused by the idea that they would be let down when it turned out to be the Go Compare man, not Adele.

How is Wynne doing, Katya?

Katya: I’m certain there won’t be any hair flipping! I often find teaching music and appreciating its rhythm to be quite challenging. But fortunately, he’s already mastered that part. He possesses the right character. He brings the fun. He has his limbs, arms, and legs.

Wynne: Things are bad when you’re saying, “He’s going to be OK. He’s got legs.”

Katya: I’ve got something called assertive positivity. I strongly believe that everyone has the potential to learn dance, and it’s this belief that gets me excited. Yes, we bring in celebrities, but they all start with a clean slate. Wynne may showcase a big personality, but every individual gets an opportunity to express their true self, including their weaknesses. That’s what this show is about.

Wynne: As soon as I learned that our first dance would be the samba, I hurried to YouTube to see how it’s done. Meanwhile, I ran to the beat of “Help Yourself” by Tom Jones, playing on repeat. It really boosted my spirits!

Will you be wearing the famous Go Compare moustache for any of your routines?

Wynne: I’ve got the original at home in a frame, as it paid for my house.

Katya: Be grateful. Stay humble.

Wynne: Katya, are you going to offer prayers at the shrine of the Go Compare mustache soon? May I inquire, has there been a moment when, since 2016 and your participation in Strictly, you felt a little weary or sighed?

Katya: No – and the moment I do, I won’t be here.

And because this is TopMob… what have you been enjoying watching on TV lately?

Wynne: I’m really into Married at First Sight, especially the latest Australian season which was full of drama. I guess my curiosity just can’t help but get the best of me as I enjoy all the juicy gossip. And it turns out Katya feels the same way!

Could you please add to TopMob that Katya is seeking a suitable match? I’m checking them over because I act as her guardian. I make sure she’s protected, just like I do for my son on dating platforms. It’s quite enjoyable, he often asks me for my opinion, “What do you think, Dad?

A condensed version of this interview appears in the latest issue of TopMob.

Strictly Come Dancing continues at 7pm this Saturday on BBC One and iPlayer.

Have you heard? You can now request an earlier version of TopMob magazine through our newly introduced back issues service!

2024-09-20 21:33

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