The girlfriend of Seann Walsh, the Strictly Come Dancing contestant, has left him and accused him of branding her a "psycho" when she voiced suspicions about his relationship with Katya Jones.

In a damning statement which is likely to force his exit from the BBC One show, Rebecca Humphries alleged that Walsh was a controlling character who had subjected her to "inappropriate, hurtful behaviour".

She said he had flatly denied a romantic relationship with Jones, his professional dance partner, until they were photographed kissing outside a London pub.

The statement, published via social media, began: "My name is Rebecca Humphries and I am not a victim."

She said: "Those pictures were taken on October 3rd. It was my birthday. I was alone at home when Sean [sic] 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."

After her accusation of 'gaslighting' - a term used to describe a man who manipulates a partner into doubting their own sanity - she encouraged other women to seek help, in words that echo the #MeToo movement.

She said: "This whole business has served to remind me that I am a strong, capable person who is now free; and no victim. I have a voice and will use it by saying this to any woman out there who deep down feels worthless and trapped with a man they love:

"Believe in yourself and your instincts. It's more than lying. It's controlling."

Humphries suggested that Walsh had embellished his name, pointedly referring to him as "Sean(n)". She said: "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."

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She ended the statement: "It's important also to recognise that in these situations those who hold power over you are insecure and fragile, and their need for control comes from a place of vulnerability. I think it certainly does in Sean's case. Despite everything, I hope he gets what he wants from this. I'm not sorry I took the cat though."

Walsh and Jones, who is married to fellow Strictly professional Neil Jones, had dismissed their encounter as a drunken mistake.

They planned to use an appearance later this week on the Strictly spin-off show, It Takes Two, to make a public apology and appeal to viewers to keep voting for them. Bookmakers William Hill have made them 11/8 favourites to be evicted on Sunday, but Humphries' words make it unlikely they will compete at all.

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