TV & Radio

‘I am not a victim’: Strictly’s Seann Walsh under fire from ex-girlfriend

Actor Rebecca Humphries ends relationship with comedian photographed kissing dancer

Strictly Come Dancing: Seann Walsh and his competition partner, Katya Jones, who were photographed kissing outside a pub. Photograph: Ray Burmiston/BBC

Nadeem Badshah
Tue Oct 9 2018 - 08:44

The actor Rebecca Humphries has urged women not to stay with controlling partners after photographs emerged of her boyfriend Seann Walsh kissing his married partner from BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing.

In a tweet announcing the end of their five-year relationship, Humphries accused the 32-year-old comedian of having dismissed her suspicions that something untoward was going on by "aggressively, and repeatedly, call[ing] me a psycho/nuts/mental". Walsh has yet to respond to the allegations.

Humphries said she had not received a personal apology from Walsh over the incident with Katya Jones, the 29-year-old dancer, outside a west London pub last week, photographs of which appeared in British newspapers.

She revealed that the images were taken on her birthday, on October 3rd, as she sat at home alone. Her letter on Twitter said: “My name is Rebecca Humphries and I am not a victim...

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“It’s incredibly good of Sean(n) and Katya to apologise in the media. I have received nothing, other than the support of my family, friends and a host of strangers on the internet who all wanted to make sure I was OK...

“I was alone at home when Sean texted at 10pm saying the two of them were going for one innocent drink. We spoke and I told him, not for the first time, that his actions over the past three weeks had led me to believe something inappropriate was going on. He aggressively, and repeatedly, called me a psycho/nuts/mental. As he has done countless times throughout our relationship when I’ve questioned his inappropriate, hurtful behaviour.

Former partners: Rebecca Humphries with her ex-boyfriend, Seann Walsh. Photograph: David M Benett/Getty

“But this whole business has served to remind me that I am a strong, capable person who is now free; and no victim. I have a voice and will use it by saying this to any woman out there who deep down feels worthless and trapped with a man they love:

“Believe in yourself and your instincts. It’s more than lying. It’s controlling. Tell some very close friends who, if they’re anything like my wonderful network, will swoop in and take care of the logistics and of you.

“It’s important also to recognise that in these situations those who hold power over you are insecure and fragile, and their need for control comes from a place of vulnerability. I think it certainly does in Sean’s case. Despite everything, I hope he gets what he wants from this. I’m not sorry I took the cat though.”

Walsh released a public statement calling the kiss a “one-off drunken mistake”. Jones also offered an apology and said that the incident “didn’t reflect on her marriage” and that she loved her husband, Neil, whom she married in 2013.

Walsh’s management have been approached for comment.

It is unclear whether the comedian will appear with Jones on the BBC One dancing show this weekend. There have been calls from Strictly fans on social media for him to leave the series. – Guardian

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