STRICTLY fans have demanded to know “what the joke was” after Katya Jones pushed dance partner Wynne Evans’ hand away on last night’s show.

The professional dancer, 35, took to social media for second time in a bid to explain what happened on the night.

4

Advertisement

4

4

4

BBC viewers were left shocked when they spotted Katya pushing Wynne’s hand off her waist.

Later in the night, fans noted a second “awkward” moment between the pair when Katya left the opera singer, 52, hanging when he tried to high five her after Sam Quek, 35, and Nikita Kuzmin’s lively Samba.

On Sunday afternoon, Katya returned to Instagram with another message for her fans.

She said: “Happy Sunday everyone. Now, I need to make something crystal clear.

“The hand incident that happened on Sunday night was indeed a very silly inside joke.

“So even the idea that he made me feel uncomfortable or offended me in anyway is complete nonsense.

“It’s quite absurd actually.

“Now can we just focus on how brilliant he is doing and what an amazing dancer that he’s becoming.”

But some fans were not fully convinced.

One wrote: “Your not explaining how it was a joke? I think it’s exactly how it come across on camera. You didn’t want his hand there, so moved it? Not a big deal.”

A second said: “Katya, blink twice if you need help? The explanation videos only make the situation stranger. How is inappropriately touching someone an inside joke?”

This person commented: “The side eye and face said otherwise and really didn’t look like joke.”

A fourth added: “I think this ‘inside joke’ needs to be explained so that the context is there and everyone can stop making up nonsense.”

Eagle-eyed Strictly Come Dancing viewers had spotted the reaction of the Russian, 35, just moments before they then saw Katya push Wynne’s hand off her waist.

Yet in scenes just minutes before, sports ace Sam gave the GoCompare man a hand slap as she arrived at the upstairs studio.

Wynne then turned around and offered Katya the same gesture – yet to no avail.

She was seen staring at her Tango partner – offering no response – before turning around to face the camera as she shunned his playful behaviour.

Wynne held his head in his hands in mock shock as the live show continued on.

Yet fans were quick to take to X to ponder on their behaviour, with one who noted: “Ooooooh she doesn’t look very happy.”

Another put: “I spotted that too,” as a third quizzed: “Why did she look so annoyed with him lol.”

Another mused: “What’s going on here.”

Yet Wynne later took to his page on X to apologise for their conduct – branding it a “joke.”

He wrote: “Apologies for this tonight we were just messing around.

“We really are amazing friends.

“The high 5’s is a running joke. Have a great evening.”

Speaking from backstage in their video, Katya also clarified the situation.

She said: “Hi everyone, it’s Wynne and Katya here, we just wanted to say we were messing around in the clauditorium on Saturday night and we just want to say sorry.”

She added: “It was a silly joke.”

While Wynne echoed : “Yeah, sorry.”

The pair’s banter came after the BBC series was engulfed in a series of scandals – though there is no suggestion Katya and Wynne’s joke was inappropriate.

The findings of a probe into former Strictly professional Giovanni’s Pernice’s behaviour were published earlier this month.

The report upheld six out of 17 allegations against pro dancer Giovanni, 33.

Strictly 2024 pairings

Advertisement

Here’s who is matched with who this series…

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Nick Knowles has been spotted wearing a knee brace

The DIY SOS presenter, 62, missed last week’s live show after sustaining a injury during training.

4

Advertisement

4

4

Instead, Nick and pro partner Luba Mushtuk performed their intended Movie Week routine this week.

The star was seen sporting a knee brace during an outing with fiancee Katie Dadzie.

It comes amid concerns of reported “clashes” between Katie and Luba.

A source said: “Luba found the constant interruptions exasperating because she felt it was disturbing their training and routine.

“It was starting to affect how Luba could teach, given that she felt Katie’s eyes on her when they were in close holds.

“Luba is a complete professional but no one can deny that it is awkward having your partner’s girlfriend in the room. Katie seems to be very clingy to Nick.”

The source added that the tension had been the subject of discussion between Luba and other show insiders.

The Sun previously revealed how Nick injured himself after falling when doing a jump during dress rehearsal.

This injury ultimately left Nick on crutches as he recuperated.

Later, the presenter addressed his tough news on social media, writing: “Gutted not to be out there with everyone tonight on the BBC Strictly dance floor but still suited up and cheering them on from the sofa!”

Despite Nick’s triumphant return, some viewers are concerned for his future in the competition after earning a low score.

The judges – Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton du Beke – gave Nick and Luba’s Charleston a score of 21.

Strictly 2024 pairings

Here’s who is matched with who this series…

This has placed them second from bottom, ahead of Dr Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez, who got 20.

Taking to X, one fan wrote: “Had potential to be a great dancer but he can’t do dances justice with them.

Another added: “Nick Knowles to go surely.”

Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One and is available on iPlayer.

4

Advertisement

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Bill Maher criticized Chappell Roan’s support for Palestine on Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher.

Maher, an atheist whose mother was Jewish, has frequently defended Israel’s actions since the war with Hamas erupted in Gaza last year.

“To mark the October 7 anniversary, we must launch a campaign to educate young Americans about the Middle East,” the talk show host began the episode by saying.

“And the way I’d like to begin that process is by addressing an open letter to Chappell Roan. Now, to those viewers who aren’t watching this while also looking at your phones, let me explain. … She’s actually a great new recording artist, who, like a Hezbollah pager, is really blowing up.”

He continued: “Chappell, if you think it was repressive growing up queer in the Midwest, try the Mid East.

“You’re a female drag queen and you sing, ‘I f***ed you in the bathroom when we went to dinner, your parents at the table.’ Yeah, that wouldn’t fly in Gaza. Although you would, straight off a roof. The same goes for ‘knee deep in the passenger seat and you’re eating me out.’ Yea, my guess is the morality police would figure out that one’s not about the drive-thru and kill your feathered boa-wearing ass. You know when you sing that ‘LA is where boys and girls can all be queens every single day’? You’re welcome, but offer not good in the West Bank.”

open image in gallery

Advertisement

Roan, 26, recently criticized the Democratic party over its support of Israel, telling fans on TikTok the party has “failed people like me and you. And more so Palestine. And more so every marginalized community in the world.”

In an earlier video, Roan clarified she would not be voting for Republican candidate Donald Trump after her comments on voting were “completely taken out of context.”

Roan previously said she didn’t feel pressure to endorse someone as she has “so many issues with our government in every way.”

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

Advertisement

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

“There’s problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote – vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city,” she added.

On his show, Maher praised Roan for criticizing both sides of the political spectrum, but argued that her support for Palestine was born out of TikTok “propaganda.”

“Chappell, you’re not wrong that oppression is bad, or that Palestinian and many other Muslim populations are oppressed and deserve to be freed. You just have it completely ass-backwards as to who is doing the oppressing,” he said.

“Hamas is a terrorist mafia that took over Gaza… these are the oppressors. And when you make it all about Israel, you take the pressure off of them. You enable them.

“You’re a singer, and you’re advocating for a place and a culture you would never want to live under. Gender may not be binary, but right and wrong is,” Maher concluded.

The Independent has contacted Roan’s representatives for comment.

Over the years, Israel has often been accused of “pinkwashing” – pointing to its progressive stance on LGBT+ rights while depicting Palestine as violently homophobic.

On Friday, UN humanitarian officials said aid entering Gaza was at its lowest level in months and warned that critical lifelines in the territory’s north, where Israel has renewed its military offensive, had been cut off.

The UN independent investigator on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, accused Israel last month of carrying out a “starvation campaign” against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an allegation that Israel vehemently denies.

The war in Gaza started after Hamas militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted around 250 others during the October 7 2023 attacks on Israel.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, which do not say how many were fighters but say women and children make up more than half of the fatalities. The war has destroyed large areas of Gaza and displaced about 90 percent of its population of 2.3 million people.

MARRIED At First Sight expert Charlene Douglas has hit back at Richelle and said she is “sad” the bride has slammed the show.

Charlene, 43, has exclusively told The Sun she is baffled by Richelle’s treatment towards her husband Orson and admitted she is “shocked” by her comments about MAFS.

7

Advertisement

7

7

Richelle tore into the E4 show this week after coming under fire by angry fans for the way she has behaved around Orson.

Viewers were horrified to see her bluntly urging Orson to “get over” his past heartache, which left him in tears.

Richelle walked out of their honeymoon in explosive scenes after suggesting the former cricketer and project engineer – who models and acts in his spare time – was playing out a narrative.

And this week, as she came under fire, Richelle accused show bosses of ‘editing out’ vital scenes to explain her treatment of her husband.

Speaking to The Sun, Charlene has now given her frank opinion about the couple and Richelle’s furious outburst.

Charlene tells us: “I have to say with Orson and Richelle I think, even now, I’m not fully sure what that’s all about. 

“If I’m honest I do feel like, if someone is still triggered by a past relationship, the kind thing to do would be to meet them where they are emotionally and to be there for them.

“I don’t know if Richelle maybe saw other things in Orson that we weren’t privy to that kind of made her feel like, ‘This man isn’t very honest’.

“I didn’t see that. I saw in Orson someone that’s very kind, very honest, very transparent but we’re not with them 24/7 so I can’t be sure.

“But it felt sad. I’m not going to lie, it did feel sad for me that Richelle made some of those comments.”

This week, Richelle took to Instagram and responded to a fan who asked: “Is there something we aren’t seeing between Richelle and Orson?

“That woman is so harsh on Orson and I do not see why.”

Richelle replied: “Yes there’s a lot you’re not seeing behind tonight and previous edit that I will address to comments on this post…tomorrow!”

She later accused Orson of trying to recouple with another bride, adding: “People will see the truth. It’s a waiting game.”

7

7

But Richelle then deleted her claims and turned off her comments.

Before her remarks vanished, Charlene added: “To be fair, on social media, I’ve seen that she has stuck by her guns with certain things but she has also said that maybe she could’ve said some things a bit differently. 

“There were definitely some shocking moments in that conversation.” 

Richelle and Orson’s marriage got off to a flying start on their wedding day, with them both believing they had met their match.

However, things soon hit the skids during their honeymoon and her later addressing his past heartache without any compassion.

Richelle bluntly said to upset Orson: “What do you think your boys are going [to think] when you’re sitting on TV crying about being cheated on five years ago?”

Since then, the couple have been visited by Richelle’s pal Janey, who asked Orson “My worry is, is this all a facade? Are you trying to be famous?”

7

7

TV shows become iconic for many reasons, the storylines, the characters and often the actors who play them.

Over the decades, whether it’s dramas, comedies or period pieces, big shows have left their mark on viewers.

18

Advertisement

18

But would that have still been the case if different actors had taken on important roles within those shows?

It turns out, some of TV’s biggest shows – and biggest characters – almost had different actors involved.

And even though those actors are household names, it’s hard to imagine them as the TV characters we came to know and love played by someone else.

Here’s just some of the A-list stars who turned down roles in major TV shows.

Kristin Davis – Monica Geller in Friends

18

18

Monica Geller was famously played by Courteney Cox in smash hit sitcom, Friends from 1994 to 2004.

But during the audition process, another brunette beauty almost landed the part, Sex and the City star Kristin.

Kristin, 59, previously revealed during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden: “I think I was one of, like, 8,000 young ladies who read for Monica and Courteney Cox got her.

“Courteney and I were in the same yoga class at the time and we used to hang out. The rest of us were, like, unemployed actor waitresses types and we would hang out after class.”

She continued: “One day, Courteney was like, ‘Hey, guys. Do you want to come car shopping with me? We were like, ‘Wow, car shopping!’ [Courteney] said, ‘I did this pilot, I’m feeling really good about it. I think I’m going to buy a Porsche.’

“We were like, ‘Wow, is she for real?’ It was Friends, and it did go very well.”

Thankfully Kristin also got her big moment – and no doubt big money too – when she landed the role of Charlotte in Sex and the City in 1998.

Matthew Broderick – Walter White in Breaking Bad

18

18

Advertisement

Breaking Bad was a huge hit when it aired from 2008 to 2013, but Bryan Cranston wasn’t the first choice for lead character Walter White.

Producers admitted in a chat with The Hollywood Reporter that: “We all still had the image of Bryan shaving his body in Malcolm in the Middle.

“We were like, ‘Really? Isn’t there anybody else?”

They tried Matthew Broderick and John Cusack but both actors turned it down.

It turns out Bryan, 68, was able to play a darker role after all, and his turn as Walter won him a slew of awards including four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor.

Brian Cox – Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones

18

18

Brian, 78, is an acclaimed actor with many impressive roles under his belt, none more so than Logan Roy in Succession.

However, he almost had a role in another huge show, Game of Thrones.

Brian previously revealed: “I’m often asked if I was offered a role in Game of Thrones — reason being that every other b****r was — and the answer is, yes.

“I was supposed to be a king called Robert Baratheon, who apparently died when he was gored by a boar in the first season.

“I know very little about Game of Thrones, so I can’t tell you whether or not he was an important character, and I’m not going to Google it just in case he was, because I turned it down.”

The role went to British actor Mark Addy instead.

Pedro Pascal – Marcel in The Vampire Diaries

18

18

The Vampire Diaries was a must-watch for many teens during its run from 2009 to 2017.

But when it comes to the role of Marcel, Charles Michael Davis had some stiff competition.

Show creator Julie Plec told Entertainment Weekly: “One of the other people who read opposite Charles for that part was Pedro Pascal, who I loved.

“I was obsessed with him, but he was just on the older side.”

Rob Lowe – Dr. Derek Shepherd in Grey’s Anatomy

18

Advertisement

18

McDreamy won the hearts of millions of women – and no doubt many men – when Patrick Dempsey portrayed the dishy doctor in Grey’s Anatomy.

But we’re sure Rob Lowe would have made just as many viewers hot under the collar if he had accepted the role of Derek Shepherd in the hit medical drama.

However, Rob, 60, he opted to star in another medical drama instead, Dr. Vegas.

Unfortunately for Rob, that series didn’t last very long, but he doesn’t regret it, saying: “Had I done Grey’s, I wouldn’t have been in Parks and Recreation. That alone for me is enough.”

Katie Holmes – Piper in Orange is the New Black

18

18

Orange is the New Black was a game-changing show and a huge hit for Netflix during its run from 2013 to 2019.

Taylor Schilling landed the lead role of Piper, but former Dawson’s Creek star Katie also showed interest in the sometimes racy role.

Creator Jenji Kohan told E! News: “I met with her, she had other things to do.

“And also, in the beginning, no one knew what this was.”

Maya Rudolph – Eve in Killing Eve

18

Advertisement

18

Maya Rudolph, 52, has had a stellar career thanks to being a cast member of Saturday Night Live and appearing in hit films including Bridesmaids.

However, she had the chance to try a different sort of role as Eve Polastri in hit series Killing Eve.

Despite being a huge fan of Fleabag and wanting to work with Phoebe Waller-Bridge who wrote and produced the series, Maya turned the role down.

She explained that the show would have required her to relocate to Europe for several months, as it filmed in cities across the continent, and that wasn’t feasible at the time due to being a mother-of-four.

Eve was played by Sandra Oh, who won a Best Actress award at the Golden Globes in 2019 for the role.

Matt LeBlanc – Phil Dunphy in Modern Family

18

18

Advertisement

Having already won a legion of fans for playing Joey Tribbiani in Friends – a role that Vince Vaughn was turned for – Matt LeBlanc could have picked up even more if he had accepted the role of Phil Dunphy in Modern Family.

But having starred in one of the biggest sitcoms of all time, maybe it’s no surprise Matt didn’t want to take on another.

Matt, 57, said: “I remember reading it thinking, this is a really good script, [but] I’m not the guy for this.

“I’d be doing the project an injustice to take this. I know what I can do, I know what I can’t do.”

The role of Phil went to Ty Burrell and he won two Emmy’s for Outstanding Supporting Actor.

Friends facts and figures

Dig into the facts behind the iconic 90s sitcom starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and the late Matthew Perry.

• Friends debuted on September 22, 1994. It ran for a decade, airing ten seasons and a whopping 236 episodes.

• The emotional finale, which aired on May 26, 2004, was watched live by 52.5 million viewers in America, making it one of the most-watched TV finales of all time. 

• Friends also won a ton of awards over the years including a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, 6 Primetime Emmys, 2 SAG Awards, and 12 People’s Choice Awards. 

• It was set in New York but filmed at Warner Bros. Studios in L.A.

• Friends almost had a number of different titles – sitcom creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman considered monikers like Friends Like Us, Insomnia Café, and Six of One before finally settling on Friends. 

• The show’s iconic theme song was also meant to be different – Friends’ original theme song was Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. which was used for the unaired pilot episode, Friends Like Us. It was eventually changed to I’ll Be There For You by The Rembrandts.

• David and Marta originally planned for the show’s main couple to be Monica and Joey, but they weren’t romantically compatible unlike Monica and Chandler who had natural chemistry. 

• The cast of Friends made a pact not to date or hook up – there really was no Ross and Rachel off-screen. “We didn’t want to jeopardise any of the great relationships and friendships we had established. It was kind of an unspoken rule,” David revealed.

• The cast always stuck together though, even negotiating their salaries increases as a group. When they started out their each earned $22,500 per episode but that steadily increased to $1,000,000 per episode by the finale season.

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Saturday Night Live has drawn the wrath of British viewers with a new sketch parodying Liam and Noel Gallagher.

The musician siblings, who announced earlier this year that they are reforming the Britpop band Oasis, were impersonated on the US sketch series last night (12 October).

SNL stars James Austin Johnson and Sarah Sherman played the Gallagher brothers in the “Weekend Update” skit, though fans complained over the inaccuracies of the portrayal and the attempts at parody.

“Everyone’s wondering, are you guys gonna be cool to tour a year from now?” host Colin Jost was seen asking the “Gallagher brothers”.

“I’m cool if he’s cool,” Johnson’s Noel replied. “I’m cool, I’m cool, I’m cooler than you are,” Sherman’s Liam said.

The two siblings then begin bickering, before talking about their favourite cartoon characters.

Viewers have criticised the sketch, with many British people noting that the Gallaghers were depicted as speaking with Southern accents, rather than their real-life Mancunian brogues.

open image in gallery

“Bloody hell… I don’t mind a bit of SNL but this #Oasis sketch was just AGONY to watch,” one person wrote on X/Twitter. “Literally couldn’t get through it, it was so bad.”

“SNL have done an Oasis bit and it’s just as cringe as you imagine,” commented another.

“Hey SNL, if you’re gonna do Oasis, please don’t make them be from Essex,” someone else remarked, while another viewer wrote: “JFC, that Oasis segment on #SNL Weekend Update was so bad. Never knew Oasis were secretly from London…”

Earlier this week, Blur musician Graham Coxon shared this thoughts on the Oasis reunion. Blur and Oasis enjoyed a high-profile rivalry during the band’s heyday.

“It’s good for them and it’s good for fans,” said the guitarist. “I’ve been saying, ‘Just do it’.”

Asked if he had petitioned Noel to reform the band prior to the announcement, Coxon replied: “God no, I wouldn’t have talked to him about that and it’s not really my business. I don’t know him well enough to say that.

“But hopefully it’s a genuine reunion because some bands break up and don’t get that chance again.”

Oasis will tour the UK and Europe in 2025, with further dates around the world set to follow.