Strictly’s Johannes says he is not hanging up his dancing shoes yet
By Ellie Crabbe, Press Association
Professional dancer Johannes Radebe has said he is “not hanging (up) my dancing shoes yet” after it was announced he would become part of Strictly Come Dancing’s new presenting trio.
Radebe will join the hosting team with TV presenter Emma Willis and comedian Josh Widdicombe in the autumn, with some fans saying they would miss him being on the dancefloor with a celebrity partner.
The new line-up will take over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who announced their departure from the programme in October 2025.
Speaking to Willis on her BBC Radio 2 show on Saturday, Radebe said the question he has been asked most since the announcement on Tuesday was “are you not going to dance any more?”.
Willis, who has hosted shows including Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother, said: “We would all be bereft if that was the case.”
“No, listen, I’m not hanging (up) my dancing shoes yet,” said Radebe.
“I’m not, I’m not. I will definitely be throwing some shapes and moving my hips. I can’t (not). That’s my life.
“For it to be just taken away completely would be a travesty for me also. So, it’s not lost.
“There is a plan in action. I mean, it’s not my space any more to be on that dancefloor.
“But there’s gonna be … you’re gonna see JoJo.”
They were also joined by Widdicombe, who has previously competed on the show in a festive special.
He said he was “incredibly relieved” that the news had been announced.
“It was such a weird couple of weeks,” Widdicombe told BBC Radio 2.
“I didn’t tell my children. I thought my children were definite leaks,” he joked.
The trio had their first public outing together at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on Friday, with crowds of fans keen to speak to them.
“It was really busy at Chelsea Flower Show yesterday, wasn’t it, JoJo?” Willis said.
“When you walk around with you, it’s like I would imagine if you were walking around with Brad Pitt.”
Radebe, who joined Strictly as a professional dancer in 2018, said: “Stop it. I said to my agent, what are they trying to achieve, putting me in an afternoon, a sunny hot afternoon, with middle-aged women?
“It’s just not gonna go. Those are my people.”
Widdicombe added: “Genuinely, me and Emma were walking around – I’ve never felt so anonymous in my life. It was unbelievable.”
Speculation over who would replace Daly and Winkleman had been rife since they announced their departure.
“I didn’t tell my parents, said Willis. “I only told one of my children, and not the other two, because I thought they might blab.”
She said she “can’t wait” to spend autumn and winter weekends with Radebe and Widdicombe.
Widdicombe added: “Every time we chat I think, ‘oh my god, what if there’s no chemistry there?’
“And every time you guys make me laugh so much. It’s a joy.”
