Strictly's Johannes Radebe still battles with 'demons' from his 'dark' childhood trauma

Strictly Come Dancing's Johannes Radebe dropped the newest update connected publication Jojo: Finally Home, opening up astir his 'dark' past arsenic his beingness is adapted for the large screen

Johannes Radebe appeared connected ITV's Lorraine to speech astir his caller gathering with royalty, relation successful Kinky Boots and newest update connected his book Jojo: Finally Home. The Strictly star, known for his sass and humour connected the dancefloor, opened up to the speech amusement hosts astir his "dark upbringing" and the struggles helium faced dealing with being "mercilessly bullied" for being "gay and different".

The South African ballroom dancer spoke to big Ranvir Singh to beforehand the 2025 UK and Ireland circuit of musical Kinky boots. Radebe described the acquisition arsenic thing that was "needed" successful his beingness and that helium is present "living his champion life", adjacent telling his parent however helium has "never been this happy". When met with Ranvir's "seriously?" Johannes responded: "I can't archer you [just however happy]".

The prima chalked his existent joyousness arsenic perchance down to the musical's incorporation of each 4 aspects of performance: "singing, dancing, acting and spoken dialect". TV presenter Ranveer and Johannes proceeded to gush implicit the costumes of the show, Johannes saying: "Let's not adjacent commencement talking astir the glamour of it all!".

"I've ever said Kinky boots is not astir cross-dressing oregon making boots. What's beauteous is the adjacent relationships betwixt grown men and their fathers - their regrets, the disappointments, the expectations. I deliberation what's beauteous astir it is the cosmopolitan appeal. There is truthful galore issues the philharmonic covers."

Johannes' quality has supposedly been made to 're-energise the brand', the dancer dedicating 2 years to singing grooming for his relation "to bash it justice" and physique his confidence. Ranvir repeated however Johannes had said helium was "made for the role" and that it was "destiny successful galore ways" earlier segueing into Radebe's champion selling memoir that delves into the trouble helium faced being bullied arsenic a cheery kid successful South Africa.

She continued to accidental she was "actually surprised" to work that, during the process of penning his book, Johannes "had to merchandise immoderate demons". She admitted: "You're the past idiosyncratic I thought to person immoderate demons."

"So overmuch has happened successful my beingness that could person broke me," stated Johannes, "but it didn't." Johannes said helium had believed his communicative belonged permanently successful the acheronian and "should ne'er beryllium told" until his cause insisted that "people request to perceive this". To constitute the memoir, Johannes had to spell to therapy to face each helium went through. He told Lorraine viewers that it was beauteous to cognize his communicative is making a quality successful people's lives but understands that it's not astir him.

Now being made into a film, Jojo: Finally Home is "signed, sealed and volition beryllium delivered" joked Johannes, who is presently moving with producers and writers for the communicative based connected his life. With the autobiography receiving a 4.45 stars connected Goodreads from implicit 1000 readers, we tin expect the movie to beryllium good received by Strictly fans. One reappraisal read: "He ne'er comes across, to me, arsenic a woe is maine character. It conscionable felt similar helium was having a speech solely with me", different commenting: "I deliberation I could person listened to this audio successful 1 sitting but I wanted to savour it".

"Going to request a 2nd publication to papers the bid of strictly wherever Johannes yet wins that much-deserved glitter shot trophy," demanded a instrumentality connected the publication reappraisal website. The astir celebrated instrumentality of Johannes connected Strictly wold beryllium the Queen, Camilla, who has admitted to loving the amusement and adjacent received a dancing acquisition from the antheral himself.

Johannes' occurrence surpasses the humble means of his family, a healing South Africa station apartheid and the penchant for barbies and feminine covering done school. 'Home' becomes a spot wherever Jojo is accepted for who helium is - arsenic we person seen connected the Strictly level and present connected stage. On being asked however helium was going to formed 'Jojo', Johannes said: "There are truthful galore Jojos moving astir the townships [in South Africa]. I get to spell location each clip and enactment with them - it won't beryllium hard astatine all".