Strictly star Wynne Evan's marriage split sparked irrational fear and 'changed his life'

Wynne Evans is currently at the centre of a controversy that has engulfed Strictly Come Dancing after he and dance partner Katya Jones were caught on camera in two uncomfortable incidents

Strictly Come Dancing’s Wynne Evans struggled with his mental health after his first marriage imploded.

The 52-year-old Welsh star was left with an “irrational fear” after he split from Tanwen in 2016. The couple had met while studying on the same British Youth Orchestra course - with the gifted violinist asking him out on date first - and opera singer Wynne romantically popped the question to Tanwen at Cardiff Central Station as she departed a train. They tied the knot in 1999, and welcomed children daughter Ismay and son Taliesin, but 17 years later, Wynne and Tanwen divorced.

The Go Compare advert star has opened up on the devastating effect the split had on his mental health, and led to a battle with clinical depression and weight gain, with Wynne reaching 22 stone. Earlier this year, he spoke to BBC Radio Wales about the break-up, and admitted he was so low he contemplated taking his own life. “It was almost like grief, but you can't grieve for somebody that's still there. So, it really affected my mental health, my confidence and my ego - it totally changed me as a person,” he sadly explained.

“It made me very aware of being alone. And, even though I was only 46, I had this irrational fear of dying on my own. I had very dark thoughts and very dark days where I would contemplate all sorts of terrible things. I think it's obvious what I'm saying, but I don't want to say it because some people find it distressing. I'm fine to talk about it now, but at that time nothing would help me. I realised that I wanted my life to be over and I did some stupid things,” Wynne bravely shared.

He said while hosting his BBC Radio Wales show in the aftermath of the divorce, Wynne was at breaking point but had to put on a cheerful front. “The strapline of my show is, 'cheering Wales up by one o'clock,' but I was going through the worst depression, clinical depression,” he said. “I would think about [suicide], I would try and action it... I couldn't see a way out; I couldn't see a way of ever being happy again.”

“I was feeling suicidal, and it was terrible… I just thought, I'm either going to do something terrible or I need to go and see a proper psychiatrist,” Wynne confessed. However, he’s taken control of his mental health, and said he feels “alive again.”

The Celebrity MasterChef winner has since found love again with events manager Liz Brookes, 50, who encouraged him to get fit and lose weight. A source close to the couple told The Sun that they met at an event and were taking things slow. “He is in a much better place now than when his marriage ended. It's like night and day - and he is so happy,” they added.

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