Johannes Radebe has broken his silence on John Whaite’s explosive romantic revelations about their time on Strictly Come Dancing.
The South African dancer, 36, has revealed that he and John, 34, are “friends for life” after having a “beautiful experience” as partners on the 2021 series.
It’s the first time Johannes has spoken out about John since the former ‘Great British Bake Off’ star admitted he fell ‘in love’ with Johannes during their engagement.
Johannes broke his silence on John’s comments, stressing the platonic nature of their connection and recounting that they agreed to remain friends no matter what.
Speaking about his forthcoming memoir, Jojo: Home at Last, he told The Times, “We’ve had such a beautiful experience together that it would be a shame if we weren’t friends after all.”
Candid: Johannes Radebe has broken his silence on John Whaite’s explosive romantic revelations about her time on Strictly Come Dancing
Rosponse: It’s the first time Johannes has spoken out about John since the former ‘Great British Bake Off’ star admitted he fell ‘in love’ with Johannes during their engagement
“We agreed that no matter what life throws at us, we will always stick to it.” [this friendship] go. “We’re friends for life,” I always tell him. “I know where you live. You can’t get rid of me.’ I’m still talking to him.’
This came after John admitted he “still loves” Johannes but said he felt regular contact would be disrespectful to his partner Paul Atkins.
He said: “I love him dearly and adore the ground he walks on, but I have to keep in mind that there is more to consider here than just my own desires and whether it would be difficult for Paul to stay in touch with Johannes. ‘ ‘Then it is a sacrifice I must make.’
Looking to the future, Johannes said he wanted a partner, while being candid that he never thought he deserved to be in love due to his internalized homophobia.
“I want a partner,” he said. ‘I want one. I need a. Other than that, every aspect of my life is great. I deserve love and I never thought I deserved to be loved like this.’
Johannes also shared how dancing with John to the first same-sex couple on Strictly helped his family embrace his sexuality.
He said his uncles have now openly asked him if he could bring a male partner to South Africa to meet them, while the partnership has helped his mother be “confident” enough to embrace his sexuality.
Although his mother only openly admitted his sexuality after his same-sex pairing on Strictly, Johannes said she always supported him when he was attacked by homophobic bullies as a child.
‘Friends for life’: Johannes broke his silence on John’s comments, stressing the platonic nature of their connection and recounting that they agreed to remain friends no matter what
He admitted he’d carried “shame” about his sexuality all his life and never spoken to his family about it, but now he realizes they didn’t care at all.
Johannes also admitted he initially turned down the opportunity to be part of Strictly’s first male same-sex couple because he wasn’t “comfortable” with stepping into the public role out of “fear”.
In an excerpt of his forthcoming memoir, published by The Times, he said he didn’t want to put himself in a vulnerable position but was persuaded by Strictly’s executive producer Sarah James to be part of the “breakthrough.”
During Strictly’s 14-week run, Johannes said he hardly slept due to his stress-related insomnia, but was thrilled when he made it to second place for the first time.
The BBC dance competition first introduced same-sex partners in 2020 when boxing champion Nicola Adams was paired with Kayta Jones, while Johannes and John formed the first male same-sex couple the following year.
This comes after his former dance partner John spoke of falling in love with Johannes while he was engaged to his partner of 15 years, Paul Aktins, who he is now dating.
During his appearance on Lorraine, John opened up about how his heart was “torn in two” when he opened up about why he decided to reveal everything about Johannes in his memoir, Dancing On Eggshells.
John also insisted he didn’t write anything in the book, which both Johannes and his fiancé Paul didn’t want when discussing falling in love with the professional dancer.
He said, “The reason I spoke about this story, particularly as it relates to Johannes and my partner, is because I didn’t write anything that people didn’t want me to write.”
“The reason I spoke about this story is to illustrate that life is difficult. We are fragile people and our hearts can be torn in two at times.
Fears: Johannes also confessed that he initially turned down the chance to be part of Strictly’s first same-sex couple because he wasn’t “comfortable” with stepping into the public role out of “fear”.
“And sometimes you have to take stock and think, ‘Who am I, what are my values, and how do I get back to them?'”
Speaking about the infamous Strictly curse, John also quipped, “How great it is that gay people are getting caught up in a Strictly scandal… It’s a sign of progress.”
John cryptically admitted that he made “some very big mistakes” while discussing what it was like to put the ups and downs of his life on paper.
“I’ve had a fun little life, I’ve been very honest about my struggles in life, the ups and downs, on social media and on TV,” he said.
“When my publisher asked if I wanted to write a book, I thought it was a good time. I wanted to show people that we are all human and that no matter what happens in life, there is an assurance that it is all part of the bigger picture of life.
“That we all make mistakes, no matter what, and I’ve made some very big mistakes.”
John had previously admitted that he and his fiancé Paul had “spent some time apart” after he expressed his feelings towards Johannes.
In excerpts from his forthcoming memoir, Dancing on Eggshells, obtained by The Sun, John detailed the depth of his feelings for Johannes.
He described feeling a “sense of loss” after Strictly was done, as he wouldn’t be seeing Johannes every day, and expressed a desire “to want to be close to him.”
He said, “After this last dance, I hung up my clothes for the last time.” I felt a sense of loss.
Love: It comes after his former dance partner John spoke of falling in love with Johannes while he was engaged to his partner of 15 years, Paul Aktins, who he is now dating
“Not because the competition was over, I was exhausted and ready for a break, but because I wouldn’t see Johannes every day.
“I watched him sit on the dressing room windowsill sipping a glass of champagne, still sparkling in his crisp white show dance outfit.
“I was jealous of the beads of sweat that shimmered on his beautiful skin. I wanted to be close to him… We hugged goodbye, I didn’t want to let go.’
Speaking about the infamous Strictly curse, John added, “Johannes knew that.” [the curse] could happen. He’d seen it a thousand times over the years with his dance buddies.
“When you’re physically pressed against another man ten hours a day, things move emotionally… He was cautious.” Strictly has a magical way of revealing the truth.
Discussing his relationship with his fiancé afterwards, he recalled, “Paul and I had to be apart for a while for a while.” I felt like I didn’t know what I wanted out of my existence anymore.
“Paul had moved back in with his parents and I was like, ‘What the hell are you doing?'” I lived out my childhood premonition that I would grow old alone.
“Fourteen years in a committed relationship with a man who loves me unconditionally, a man who would do anything to make me feel safe, and I screwed it all up.”
However, John said the pair managed to put the issue behind them as they didn’t want to jettison their history together and have now rekindled their romance.
Tested: John previously admitted that he and his fiancé Paul “spent some time apart” after he expressed his feelings towards Johannes, but things have since reignited
Adding to the revelations about Johannes, John shared that he wasn’t always faithful to Paul after winning Bake Off in 2012 and catapulting him to stardom.
He said that back then – when he had already been dating Paul for five years – there was “drunk fondling and experimentation with various soap stars and celebrities”.
John added that he was “testing the limits” of their relationship after getting “a little carried away.”
He said the fame was unexpected and that he was showered with “giveaways, champagne hoops, dining out, holidays, red carpets, parties and a six-figure book deal.”