Strictly fans cringe as Anton Du Beke makes awkward Wynne Evans remark after 'grope gate'

Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke landed in hot water during the BBC live show with what some fans dubbed 'the most unfortunate comment'. During his evaluation of opera singer Wynne Evans' tribute to Shirley Bassey for icons week, alongside Katya Jones, social media was buzzing with reaction.

Evans wowed the crowd when he unexpectedly sang at the finale of his routine, showcasing his powerful vocals. Host Tess Daly exclaimed that his performance had 'blown the hairs off her arms'.

Du Beke heaped praise on Evans, remarking: "The best ending to any number I've ever seen in my entire life. Unbelievable."

Yet, it was his following observation about spacial awareness that caught viewers off guard and flooded Twitter with comments.

He advised Wynne: "I want you to be aware of your spacial awareness to your partner you get either a bit too close to her or a bit too far away from her...apart from that I want you to carry on as you are as your technique is looking marvellous.", reports Birmingham Live.

This season already saw Wynne and Katya apologising after their offstage shenanigans upset viewers. During a previous live broadcast, the audience observed Katya shifting Wynne's hand from her waist and dismissing his attempt at a high-five.

Social media users didn't hold back on X platform, with one posting: "'You get a bit too close to her"...awkward Anton, AWKWARD!"

Another expressed: "Anton, talking about Wynne getting too close, to his partner! #LeaveIt."

A third viewer chimed in: "Anton...most unfortunate comment ever about Wynne's spacial awareness on relation to his partner. ".

Wynne revealed that his recent Strictly performance was an emotional experience, opening up about having endured some 'very dark times'. He encouraged viewers to practice self-love.

Wynne and Katya earned 30 points out of 40 for their routine during icons week.