Give it a rest Katya and Wynne – you don’t have to keep trying to convince us everything’s fine after Strictly ‘grope’

THE fakest part of Strictly Come Dancing used to be the celebrities' spray tans - or so we thought.

Now, alongside an orange glow, we're forced to endure stars gushing over the "forever friend" they've found in their dance partner.

It appears that, at all times, they must be draped over one another - cuddling, kissing or crying about their close bond.

This behaviour backfired last weekend however, when Katya Jones appeared to let slip her "real feelings" towards Wynne Evans.

She was spotted rolling her eyes at the GoCompare singer after snubbing him over a high-five - before having to bat away his wandering hands in front of the cameras.

After instant backlash online, Wynne and Katya uploaded an apology video claiming it was an "inside joke gone wrong".

Ever since, we've had to put up with the pair's cringeworthy attempt to put on a united front, as if "it's all fine, nothing to see here".

Footage of Wynne and Katya walking up a mountain in Wales was shared on social media as they filmed for Saturday night's show.

Struggling in her inappropriate shoes, Katya straddles her arms and legs around Wynne as she is piggy-backed by her dance partner to "prove" they're the best of friends.

It follows a string of emergency interviews and online posts "clearing up any confusion" over the hand-gate saga.

Katya confessed: "I actually can't bear sitting here watching this man being portrayed as someone he's not."

Heartbroken Wynne added: "I can see how people may have misinterpreted it."

However, "the lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Katya is a seasoned professional on Strictly having joined back in 2016.

She was previously at the centre of controversy when the then-married dancer was caught snogging her celeb partner Seann Walsh.

Katya has also seen up close the fallout from Strictly's summer of scandals, which saw Graziano Di Prima sacked over his behaviour towards Zara McDermott.

His axe came amid a five-month inquiry by BBC bosses into alleged bullying by Giovanni Pernice towards Amanda Abbington on the same series.

That's why the "inside joke" Katya and Wynne claim to have made on-screen went so badly wrong.

Both Zara and Amanda slapped on a smile and praised their dance partners at the time - bravely pushing through their alleged ordeals.

However, the repercussions of this are obvious.

Fans no longer believe what they're seeing on the telly.

Katya and Wynne can act up their closeness all they want, but Strictly viewers aren't daft and they've seen the mask slip.

They know the pair fear their time will be cut short if their friendship isn't believable - with bookies saying Wynne is favourite to go this weekend.

As former Strictly star Vanessa Feltz said recently on This Morning: "In light of everything bubbling, fizzing beneath the surface of Strictly, which we're far too aware about, all we really want to do is enjoy the dancing, hear the music, look at the costumes and have a lovely time."

For this year's new contestants, the show must go on - especially as it's the 20th anniversary of the BBC's flagship programme.

But with plummeting viewing figures the recent controversies have clearly had an impact on Strictly fans.

They've been forced to accept there was no explanation about Giovanni or Graziano's absence - despite the former's best friend Anton Du Beke returning as a judge.

Instead, the show must indeed go on - but for how long?