Strictly Come Dancing’s new series launch is just weeks away, and training seems to have fully commenced for this year’s celebrity line-up.
Wynne Evans, 52, has demonstrated just how hard he’s working ahead of his dance floor debut as the Go Compare advert icon has shed a staggering six stone.
The Welsh opera singer looked very trimmed down in photos snapped as he headed to a London hotel.
The intense rehearsals for BBC’s Strictly seems to have helped the singer with his fitness journey as he emerged from the dance studio looking healthy.
Strictly is set to return on September 14 for the launch show, with the first live show airing on September 21.
Evans has previously talked about embarking on a health improvement journey when his weight crept up to 22 stone after the loss of both of his parents as well as the breakdown of his marriage.
He candidly talked about his pain during the difficult time as he worked as a radio host while contemplating suicide.
“The strapline of my show is, ‘cheering Wales up by one o’clock,’ but I was going through the worst depression, clinical depression. 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,” he recalled.
Speaking to MailOnline, he continued: “I had no idea that the commercials were going to become so massive, but they have completely changed my life.
“Now, I have financial security, an album deal, a little bit of celebrity, everything you dream of.”
Pictures obtained by The Mirror show the singer appearing relaxed and in good shape as he left the dance studio recently.
The publication reports Evans has since lost six stone. Speaking on ITV’s This Morning previously, he admitted: “I thought, ‘I’ve got to do something.’ My mental health hasn’t been great in the last five or six years, and it really helped.”
Last month, Evans detailed parts of his gruelling training schedule after vowing to “give it his all” in the BBC series.
Taking to Instagram in August, he explained he thought he was going to have “a heart attack”. Filming a video of himself, he appeared tired as he told fans: “So, trying to get my stamina up for Strictly. Running, as per usual thought I was going to have a heart attack. Boiling hot today!
“Did a Susie Chan class – legend. Cheers Susie, this is what a fat man doing one of your classes looks like!”
He penned in the caption: “Running as per usual legendary @susie_chan_ class”. While many recognise Evans as the memorable Go Compare character from the adverts, he has also enjoyed two number one classical music albums throughout his 25-year career.
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Evans has also given 200 performances at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The father-of-two currently has a daily radio show on BBC Radio Wales and has previously had radio shows on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM.
On the announcement of his sign-up to the show, Evans remarked: “I am honestly still pinching myself, a portly balding opera singer, me, taking part in Strictly Come Dancing?!
“I’m not entirely sure how I’ll get along, if all else fails I’ll just have to learn the art of distraction. What I do know is I will give it my all and aim to make Wales proud.
“I’m definitely going to try and combine my love of Opera into one of my routines. Plus, after winning Celebrity MasterChef last year, maybe the route to the judges’ hearts will be through their stomachs!”
