Wynne Evans started life a long way from the glitz and glamour of the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom, where he is currently competing in the hopes of taking home the Glitterball Trophy.
The opera singer, 52, who shot to fame as Gio Compario, or the Go Compare man, grew up in the Welsh market town of Carmarthen.
And although he now resides elswhere in Wales, Carmarthen still holds a special place in Wynne’s heart. When asked last year which location he prefers, he told WalesOnline that he’d still pick his hometown.
Naming Llansteffan, a coastal village in Carmarthenshire as his favourite place in Wales, Wynne also shared his love of his hometown in an interview with Oil4Wales.
He said: “Carmarthen also has such a strong place in my heart; it’s where I’m from, and my parents saved a theatre there and founded the Carmarthen Youth Opera at The Lyric Theatre. I also work closely with the local hospice there Ty Cymorth as their Patron, which is also something I am passionate about as they helped my own father so much.”
The town of Carmarthen dates back to at least the Roman occupation of Britain, with research revealing that settlements in the area date back to the 2nd century. And legend claims that it was in a cave outside of Carmarthen that the wizard Merlin was born.
Following the Norman invasion of 1066, Carmarthen became a key sit in retaining Norman control with William fitz Baldwin building a castle in the town, sometime around 1094.
The castle was later destroyed by the Welsh ruler Llywelyn the Great in 1215 before being rebuilt in 1223. The castle was then sacked once again in 1405 Owain Glyndŵr, the last Welsh Prince of Wales.
And after being used as a county prison in 1789, the castle eventually fell into ruins, with the ruins still standing in the town to this day.
In 2017, Carmarthen was named one of the best places to live in Wales. The current average house price in the town is £204,799, according to Rightmove.
Visitors to Carmarthenshire can enjoy stunning hikes and bike rides throughout, either starting or finishing in the gorgeous town.
Reflecting on his childhood in the town, Wynne previously reminicised about a bike ride he took from his hometown to the nearby Castell Llansteffan.
He told Cadw: “I’d just passed my cycling proficiency test and I rode down with my brother and a friend of my parents from Carmarthen to Llansteffan. The castle welcomes you as you arrive. We had some chips and carried them along with our bikes up to the castle. It was just a magical day.”
