Piers Morgan has defended Strictly Come Dancing star Seann Walsh over his “drunken” kiss with his pro partner Katya Jones.
Comedian Seann and Katya, who is married to fellow Strictly dancer Neil Jones, both apologised for making a mistake after The Sun on Sunday published pictures of them kissing in the street.
In the wake of the scandal, Seann’s girlfriend Rebecca Humphries has released a statement confirming they’ve split and there have even been calls for Seann and Katya to be pulled out of Strictly.
On Tuesday’s Good Morning Britain, Piers said he doesn’t believe the kiss should impact Seann’s time on the show.
Read more: Strictly’s Seann Walsh’s girlfriend dumps him after Katya Jones kiss
He told co-star Susanna Reid and newspaper editors Andrew Pierce and Kevin Maguire: “I’m going to defend Seann Walsh. It’s his business.
“He’s not married, the other one was married.”
Susanna added: “And actually it was just a kiss,” to which Piers said: “It’s his life, he can behave how he likes. Why does it affect how he performs on a dance show?”
Andrew hit back: “It’s family entertainment.”
Kevin added: “It’s not just about dancing. I agree, you don’t know what goes on in relationships but that statement from his former partner [Rebecca] is absolutely devastating.”
Piers cut in: “She didn’t feel that way when she was cheering him on Saturday night,” to which Susanna replied: “Or she was putting a brave face on.”
Speaking about Strictly being a family show, Susanna added: “People want to sit and watch and think it’s all sweet.”
Turning to Rebecca’s statement, in which she said the couple had split and claimed Seann had called her a “psycho” for voicing suspicions about his behaviour, Piers said: “He’s got to be allowed to respond.
“She’s made quite serious allegations and we don’t know what she may have called him.”
It comes hours after Rebecca released her statement to Twitter, insisting she’s “not a victim”.
She said: “I wasn’t sure whether to respond to events from the past week, but I feel the narrative has missed a couple of crucial elements that I would like to clear up.
“It’s incredibly good of Sean(n) and Katya to apologise in the media. I have received nothing, other than the support of my family, friends, and a host of strangers on the internet who all wanted to make sure I was OK.”
— Rebecca Humphries (@Beckshumps) 8 October 2018
She went on: “Those pictures were taken on October 3rd. It was my birthday.
“I was alone at home when Sean texted at 10pm saying the two of them were going for one innocent drink.
“We spoke and I told him, not for the first time, that his actions over the past three weeks had led me to believe something inappropriate was going on. He aggressively, and repeatedly, called me a psycho/nuts/mental. As he has done countless times throughout our relationship when I’ve questioned his inappropriate, hurtful behaviour.
“But – this whole business has served to remind me that I am a strong, capable person who is now free; and no victim. Despite everything, I hope he gets what he wants from this. I’m not sorry I took the cat though.”
At the weekend, hours after the images were published, Seann issued an apology to Twitter.
It read: “In light of the story in today’s newspaper I would like to offer my sincere apologies for my actions. This is no excuse but it was a one-off drunken mistake which I am truly sorry for.”
In light of the story in today’s newspaper I would like to offer my sincere apologies for my actions. This is no excuse but it was a one-off drunken mistake which I am truly sorry for.
— Seann Walsh (@seannwalsh) 7 October 2018
Read more: Strictly’s Seann Walsh and Katya Jones apologise for kissing photos
Katya, 29, said it was not a reflection of her marriage in an apology posted to her own Twitter account.
“I’m so sorry about any offence or hurt I may have caused with my actions,” she tweeted. “I wasn’t thinking and it was a one-off mistake after some drinks. I love my husband and we are very happy together, this is not a reflection on our relationship.”
I’m so sorry about any offence or hurt I may have caused with my actions. I wasn’t thinking and it was a one-off mistake after some drinks. I love my husband and we are very happy together, this is not a reflection on our relationship.
— katya Jones (@Mrs_katjones) 7 October 2018
ED! has contacted Seann’s rep for comment.
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