Johannes Radebe

Dancer, choreographer and television presenter

South African (British citizen since February 2026) Zamdela, Sasolburg, Orange Free State, South Africa Taurus

Quick Info

ProfessionDancer, choreographer and television presenter
NationalitySouth African (British citizen since February 2026)
Date of Birth27/04/1987
Age39 years
BirthplaceZamdela, Sasolburg, Orange Free State, South Africa
Zodiac SignTaurus

Latest News about Johannes Radebe

19/05/2026

Johannes Radebe was announced as one of three new presenters of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing for the 2026 series, replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. He will co-host alongside Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe, ending speculation that he might leave the show to focus on West End work.

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Bio/Wiki

SummarySouth African-born dancer and choreographer best known as a professional dancer on the BBC One series Strictly Come Dancing, later becoming a co-presenter of the show. He was named one of the three new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing for the 2026 series.
Early LifeBegan dancing at around the age of seven in Zamdela, Sasolburg, and later moved to Gauteng at 13 to train with a dance coaching couple.

Educational Qualification(s)

Secondary EducationAttended secondary school in the Johannesburg suburb of Ennerdale

Personal Life

Sexual OrientationOpenly gay
AdvocacySpeaks publicly about homophobic bullying he experienced as a child and about race and LGBTQ+ equality

Relationships & More

Dance Partnerships
Strictly Come Dancing (South Africa)Professional dancer in 2014
Dancing With The Stars (South Africa)Professional dancer from its 2018 debut season
Strictly Come Dancing (UK) 2018 onwardPartnered with Catherine Tyldesley in his second series, performing the first same-sex routine with Graziano Di Prima
Strictly Come Dancing (UK) 2021Partnered with John Whaite, the first same-sex male couple in the programme's UK history, finishing as runners-up
Strictly Come Dancing (UK) 2022Partnered with Ellie Taylor
Strictly Come Dancing (UK) 2023Partnered with Annabel Croft, who reached the semi-final
Strictly Come Dancing (UK) 2024Partnered with Montell Douglas
Strictly Come Dancing (UK) 2025Partnered with Alex Kingston
Strictly Come Dancing (UK) 2026Not partnered with a celebrity; appointed as one of the three presenters alongside Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe

Family

SiblingsHas a sister with whom he attended a local dance school

Career

Early CareerWorked as a dance teacher in Johannesburg, then spent seven years dancing on cruise ships
Cruise LineJoined the Costa cruise line at 21, progressing to choreographer and dance captain
Competitive DanceTwo-time Professional South African Latin champion and three-time Amateur Latin South African champion; competed internationally, including in Russia
Television
  • Professional dancer on South Africa's Strictly Come Dancing (2014)
  • Professional dancer on South Africa's Dancing With The Stars, reaching the final in both seasons
  • Professional dancer on BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing from 2018
  • Celebrity MasterChef contestant (2021)
  • Co-presenter of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing from the 2026 series
Stage
  • Toured with the international production Burn The Floor
  • Starred as Lola in Kinky Boots at the London Coliseum
  • Launched solo stage shows Freedom and Freedom Unleashed
  • Presented House of JoJo, including two performances at the London Palladium in 2024
  • Co-produced the Olivier-nominated London production of A Strange Loop in 2023
Choreography
  • Choreographed the West End-themed Rusical on RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs the World (2022)
  • Choreographed the feature film Pretty Red Dress (2022)
WritingMemoir Jojo: Finally Home, published in September 2023, became a Sunday Times best-seller
UpcomingAnnounced a UK and Ireland tour of his show Finally Home from 1 April to 13 June 2027, including a gala at the London Palladium on 9 May 2027

Social Media

Websitehttps://www.johannes-live.com/

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Experienced homelessness as a teenager in Johannesburg, sometimes sleeping in dance studios or in taxis
2. Became a British citizen in February 2026
3. Has spoken publicly about overcoming homophobic bullying in childhood

Also born on 27 April

Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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