Strictly’s Katya Jones reveals her mum told her to ‘toughen up’ after Seann Walsh kiss

Strictly’s Katya Jones reveals her mum told her to ‘toughen up and stop crying’ after she was caught kissing dance partner Seann Walsh

Katya Jones has revealed her mum told her to ‘toughen up’ and ‘stop crying’ following her Seann Walsh kissing scandal.  

The Strictly pro, 30, was caught kissing her then dance partner, 34, in 2018, while she was still married to fellow pro dancer Neil Jones, 37.

Speaking on The Makers Podcast she confessed her Korean-born civil engineering graduate mother Tatiana Kim gave her the ‘kick up the a**e’ she needed.’

Tough love: Katya Jones has revealed her mum Tatiana Kim told her to ‘toughen up’ and ‘stop crying’ following her Seann Walsh kissing scandal

The Russian beauty explained: ‘It has been really hard.’

She continued: ‘During Strictly last year I had a really bad, emotional moment, I called my mum on FaceTime because I didn’t want people to understand what I was saying.

‘I felt so sorry for myself, I was in tears. 

‘I thought she was going to be nice to me and feel sorry for me, but she shouted at me: “Katya, stop crying right now and toughen up. What do you think that everyone in entertainment and the TV world is going to be nice you?”.

Scandal: The Strictly pro, 30, was caught kissing Seann, her dance partner, 34, in 2018 before splitting from fellow pro husband Neil Jones, 37, last year

Scandal: The Strictly pro, 30, was caught kissing Seann, her dance partner, 34, in 2018 before splitting from fellow pro husband Neil Jones, 37, last year

‘It was such a shock and it was a good thing it was exactly what I needed, I needed a kick up my a**e.’

She ended: ‘I stopped crying immediately and went, “You’re right mum”.’ 

Katya and Seann’s kiss caused a scandal back in 2018 due to Katya still being married to Neil, and Seann being in a long-term relationship with actress Rebecca Humphries.

Such was the scandal that fans of the show called for the pair to be axed from Strictly, with Seann revealing a year on that he was in therapy to deal with the backlash.

Seann and Rebecca split shortly afterwards, whilst Katya and Neil called an end to their marriage last year.   

Amicable exes: Katya and Seann's kiss caused a scandal back in 2018 due to Katya still being married to Neil. The couple split in September last year

Amicable exes: Katya and Seann’s kiss caused a scandal back in 2018 due to Katya still being married to Neil. The couple split in September last year

Meanwhile, Neil recently shut down rumours which claimed he’s gay.

In a new interview, the Strictly pro insisted he’s straight but joked his mother wished he was gay so they could ‘go shopping together’.

The choreographer spoke out 18 months after he was labelled as a homosexual by his love rival Seann.

During a stand-up performance in Kennington in 2018, the comedian was reported to have said: ‘You know who I am now motherf****r, I’m the guy who kissed a gay man’s wife.’

Struggle: Such was the scandal that fans of the show called for the pair to be axed from Strictly, with Seann revealing a year on that he was in therapy to deal with the backlash

Struggle: Such was the scandal that fans of the show called for the pair to be axed from Strictly, with Seann revealing a year on that he was in therapy to deal with the backlash 

The funnyman quickly urged the audience to ‘not report that’ and insisted he was only joking.

Moving on from the jibe, dance expert Neil told The Sun: ‘In ballroom there’s a lot of straight guys. But mum was always like, ‘It’s a shame you’re not gay because we could go shopping together’. 

‘And I was thinking, ‘whether I’m gay or not there’s no chance, you take forever’.’     

Hitting back: Neil recently shut down rumours which claimed he's gay, 18 months after he was labelled as a homosexual by his love rival Seann

 Hitting back: Neil recently shut down rumours which claimed he’s gay, 18 months after he was labelled as a homosexual by his love rival Seann