Wynne Evans moved into a ‘sad house’ following his divorce, after admitting he never wanted to leave his marital home for a ‘derelict’ property.
Strictly Come Dancing’s Wynne Evans has candidly discussed the challenges he faced after moving into a “sad house” that lacked even “glass in the windows” following his divorce. The 52-year-old split from wife of 16 years, Tanwen, eight years ago.
The radio presenter admits he never wanted to leave the home they shared with their two children. However, after the split, opera star Wynne put in an offer on a “derelict” property he wasn’t even sure he wanted.
He said the house, in Cardiff, Wales, was “terrible” at the time. It had stood empty for around four years when Wynne bought it.
Speaking on The Starting Line podcast with Rich Leigh, Wynne said: “It was a really sad house, because it was derelict, and I moved here after a divorce. I didn’t want to move here, I wanted to stay married. So I bought it and it just became sad. It was a sad place.”
His initial experiences in the house were less than ideal, beginning with the central heating system “blowing up” as soon as he tried using it. With sparse furnishings, his children had to resort to camping out in tents within their rooms when they came to visit him.
Addressing the priorities following his move, Wynne focused on making the bedrooms comfortable for his children, which led to his own makeshift sleeping arrangements on a bed inherited from his late parents in Carmarthen.
He elaborated: “I got the kids bedrooms ready first and I had to get new heating put in. And I was living in a bedroom, bearing in mind I’m presenting everyday on Radio Wales, I was doing GoCompare, I was doing all these things and people thought I was successful but I was living in a bedroom with no windows, with no glass in them.
“It was boarded up because all of the windows had gone. I came to see the house and it was the size I wanted and it’s what I could afford.
“I said to the estate agent, ‘this is not for me this house, this house is definitely not for me’. The house was an absolute tip, the garden was beautiful, I don’t know what the guy was doing here before. It was just terrible.”
Wynne eventually fell in love with the grandeur of the house, noting it had “a lot of original architecture” with the most “amazing” doors and ceilings. However, it was an unexpected discovery in the garden that convinced him to buy the house.
He recounted: “My mother, for some reason, since I was about seven, and I still can’t quite work this one out, for Christmas every year would get me a Drambuie. And I love Drambuie now as a result.”
“I went into the garden, turned round, and there was a line of Drambuie bottles against the wall. And that’s why I bought it.”
Since acquiring the property, Wynne has completely transformed the detached period home. He has decorated each room to his own taste, filling it with cherished items that hold special significance for him.
Wynne’s dedication has transformed a once “sad” property into the house of his dreams, featuring rooms with individual flair. Telling WalesOnline about his distinctive style, he shared: “I’ve got quite a strange taste I guess – quite a flamboyant taste. My bedroom, I suppose, is kind of out there – I’ve got a picture of John Inman and Mrs Slocombe from the TV show Are You Being Served? in pop art above my bed with a retro neon pink Welsh blanket on the bed and bright yellow walls. It’s very eclectic and very different.”
This evening, Wynne is set to hit the Strictly Come Dancing stage with Katya Jones, where they will perform the tango to Abba’s Money, Money, Money.