Actress and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Sarah Hadland has addressed the ongoing noise surrounding co-stars Wynne Evans and Katya Jones following Saturday’s live show.
Jones and Evans have released a series of apologies and statements after “inside jokes” sparked rumours of a rift behind the scenes between the two.
BBC Strictly: Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola were quizzed on the saga
ITV
Ben Shephard quizzed Hadland and pro dancer Vito Coppola on Wednesday’s This Morning where he asked: “It’s been a difficult week in many ways, you’re on the inside of it, for Wynne and Katya. We saw what happened on the weekend and we’ve seen it since they’ve come out and made it very clear that they’re great mates and it was a joke.
“But it is when you understand how forensically people are pouring over the show and they’re looking for the slightest bit of information or nuance to what’s been going on. I wonder how that feels, Sarah?”
Hadland replied: “I think really, you’ve got to – especially with a show like Strictly when there is, as you say, so much attention – you just have to go into completely being yourself and keep doing that.”
Supporting Evans and Jones against the suggestion they could be hiding their true feelings from viewers, Hadland continued: “You wouldn’t – well, I wouldn’t be able to maintain something that isn’t yourself so you just have to be who you are, react how you react to stuff, and that’s all you can do and hope that people can connect with that and appreciate that.”
BBC Strictly: Wynne and Katya have both insisted the incidents were ‘inside jokes’
BBC
Shephard weighed back in to ask if “constantly being scrutinised” by the public had proven to be an “eye-opener” for the actress, again referring to the so-called Evans and Jones “hand incident”.
Coppola took it upon himself to reply as he cut in: “I think it’s good because we always have our fun.
“The key is be yourself. So I’m being myself. The fun… I mean, I’m constantly pranking (Hadland) here, always waiting behind a corner or behind a door…”
Hadland then interjected: “If we have a toilet break – and I’m quite a jumpy person… I’m like, ‘Wah!'”
The pair shared a laugh before moving on with the discussion, suggesting “inside jokes” aren’t a rarity behind the scenes of the BBC dance competition.
Evans and Jones will be hoping to ignore the controversy come Saturday evening as they prepare to perform a Quickstep to Mr Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra for Week Five of the competition.