Days after wowing the judges to be named as winner of the Celebrity Masterchef grand final, ‘Go Compare’ maestro Wynne Evans has been named as the new ambassador for the Welsh National Opera’s dementia choir programme,’ Cradle’.

The Carmarthen tenor, who’s affectionately known as Gio Compario after recording well over 150 adverts for the ‘Go Compare’ insurance company since 2009, took up his new role earlier this week.

‘‘Throughout my career I’ve seen first-hand the benefits that music and song can have on people’s mental and physical health and I’m delighted to be involved with this project,” he said.

“Cradle provides such a worthwhile service to people living with dementia but also for their families and carers, so I really am thrilled to become an ambassador for this work."

 The WNO Cradle choirs are community singing groups for people living with dementia which also provide a space for families and carers to come together to enjoy the shared benefits of music and song on a weekly basis. WNO first launched Cradle with a community choir in Spring 2019 which took place in Swansea.  The project has since expanded to choirs in Milford Haven and Llandeilo.

Two weeks ago Wynne braised his way past Love Island's Luca Bish and Emmerdale star Amy Walsh to be named champion of this year’s Celebrity Masterchef.

His winning menu featured a starter of Carmarthen-Japanese sumo tuna tartare with avocado, edamame beans and wasabi, served with deep-fried cockle popcorn and a mango egg and his main course was a bread of Evans cannon of lamb, served on samphire with wild garlic, porcini mushrooms and lamb rendered fried bread, with pomme dauphine and a fondant leek, finished with a red wine and redcurrant jus.

For dessert, Wynne served bara brith with Caerphilly cheese and fig jam, served with brie ice cream on crumbled bara brith and poached figs.

Commenting on his win, judge Gregg Wallace said, “I have never seen a celebrity cook like him ever before, and I'm not sure we ever will again.”

Born in Carmarthen in 1972, Wynne studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the National Opera Studio.

In late 2011, Evans was cast as the opera singer Ubaldo Piangi, in the 25th anniversary celebratory production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall.

He has enjoyed a long and close association with the Welsh National Opera after performing many roles for them, including Cassio in Otello, The Duke in Rigoletto, Rodolfo in La bohème and Alfred in Die Fledermaus.