Johannes Radebe (born 27 April 1987) is a South African dancer, choreographer and presenter. He is best known for being a professional dancer on the BBC One dancing competition Strictly Come Dancing, before becoming a co-presenter from 2026.
Early and personal life Radebe was born in Zamdela, Sasolburg, Orange Free State, South Africa. His father, who worked for Coca-Cola, separated from Radebe's mother while he was still at school.
Radebe is gay and has spoken out about the homophobic bullying he received as a child. He has also spoken of how his race and class would count against him when competing at ballroom dancing competitions as a youngster. He and his sister attended a dance school in their local area. At the age of 13, he left home to live with a dance coaching couple in Gauteng province, and he attended secondary school in the Johannesburg suburb of Ennerdale.
While living in Johannesburg, Radebe spent some time homeless, sleeping in the dance studio where he worked or in the back of taxis.
In February 2026, Radebe became a British citizen.
Career Radebe began his career as a dance teacher in Johannesburg, before spending seven years dancing on cruise ships.
He has won the Professional South African Latin championships twice and has been the Amateur Latin South African champion three times.
Radebe was a professional dancer on South Africa's version of Strictly Come Dancing from 2014, for two seasons, on SABC 3 and reached the final on both occasions. He also appeared on Dancing with the Stars in 2018 on M-Net. Subsequently, he joined the touring cast of dance show Burn the Floor. In 2018, the BBC announced that Radebe would join the cast of professional dancers on the British Strictly Come Dancing, although he was not allocated a partner in his first series. In 2021, Radebe was announced as a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef.
In 2022, he choreographed the West End-themed Rusical on the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World. In December 2022, he was contestant on the Celebrity Christmas Special of BBC's The Great British Sewing Bee, which he won.
In 2023, Hodder & Stoughton published Radebe's memoir, Jojo: Finally Home, which became a bestseller. The book is subsequently being developed into a musical film by Helena Spring Films and Arrested Industries.
In 2024, he appeared in the Doctor Who episode "The Devil's Chord", alongside Shirley Ballas in a song-and-dance number with Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.
Between January and July 2025, Radebe starred as Lola in the UK tour of Kinky Boots, alongside Dan Partridge as Charlie Price. This marked Radebe's musical theatre debut. The production will transfer to the London Coliseum from March 2026 with Radebe reprising his role.
In 2026, it was announced that Radebe would be one of the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing alongside Josh Widdicombe and Emma Willis.
Strictly Come Dancing SeriesPartnerPlaceAverage score17Catherine Tyldesley11th25.518Caroline Quentin8th29.019John Whaite2nd35.820Ellie Taylor7th 27.521Annabel Croft4th30.822 Montell Douglas6th33.323Alex Kingston30.8
Highest and lowest scoring per dance DancePartnerHighestPartnerLowestAmerican Smooth Annabel Croft 35 Caroline Quentin 28Argentine Tango John Whaite 39 Cha-cha-cha Montell Douglas 36 Ellie Taylor 21Charleston John Whaite 38 Annabel Croft 27 Couple's ChoiceJohn WhaiteMontell Douglas 39 Caroline Quentin 28Dance-a-ThonMontell Douglas5Foxtrot Annabel Croft 33 Montell Douglas 26Instant DanceAlex Kingston3Jive John Whaite 39 Ellie Taylor 25Paso Doble 40 23QuickstepMontell Douglas 37 Annabel Croft 22RumbaJohn Whaite 39 Ellie TaylorSalsa Montell DouglasAlex Kingston 35John WhaiteAnnabel Croft32Samba John Whaite 38 Catherine Tyldesley 19Showdance 40TangoJohn Whaite 30 Catherine TyldesleyMontell Douglas 28Viennese Waltz Annabel CroftMontell Douglas 33Catherine Tyldesley 20Waltz Montell DouglasAlex Kingston 35 Caroline Quentin 29
Performances with Catherine Tyldesley For his first competitive appearance in this show, in the seventeenth season series, he was partnered with actress Catherine Tyldesley. The couple were eliminated in week 6, placing them in 11th place, with an overall average score of 25.5. WeekDance & songJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodMabuseBallasTonioli1Viennese waltz / "I Got You Babe"555520No Elimination2Samba / "Let the Groove Get In"455519Safe3Rumba / "Shallow"888832Safe4Charleston / "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)688830Safe5Tango / "Little Bird"6778*28Safe6Cha-cha-cha / "Scared of the Dark"665724Eliminated *Score awarded by guest judge Alfonso Ribeiro
Performances with Caroline Quentin For series 18, he was partnered with actress, Caroline Quentin. WeekDance & songJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodBallasMabuse1American Smooth / "9 to 5 (Morning Train)"77721No Elimination2Paso doble / "El gato montés"77721Safe3Jazz / "Everything's Coming Up Roses"67821Safe4Waltz / "With You I'm Born Again"778*22Safe5Cha-cha-cha / "Rescue Me"888*24Eliminated
*Score awarded by guest judge Anton Du Beke
Performances with John Whaite For series 19, he was partnered with chef John Whaite. They are the first male same-sex pairing in the history of the UK format. The couple reached the final, where they finished as Runners-Up to winners Rose Ayling-Ellis, and her partner Giovanni Pernice. WeekDance & songJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodMabuseBallasDu Beke1Tango / "Blue Monday"778830No Elimination2Cha-cha-cha / "Starstruck"888731Safe3Paso doble / "He's a Pirate"9101010Safe4American Smooth / "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"678829Safe5Charleston / "Milord"991010Safe6Quickstep / "Bad Moon Rising"889833Safe7Rumba / "Shape of My Heart"8810935Safe8Samba / "Acuyuyé"91010938Safe9Viennese waltz / "Chim Chim Cher-ee"8*88832 Safe10Argentine tango / "The 5th"910*1010Safe11Salsa / "We Are Family"788932Safe12Couple's Choice / "Hometown Glory"Jive / "Higher Power"991010101010103939 Bottom two 13Rumba / "Shape of My Heart"Paso doble / "He's a Pirate"Showdance / "You Got the Love"91010101010101010101010Runners-Up
number indicates when John and Johannes were at the top of the leaderboard. *Score awarded by guest judge Cynthia Erivo. Performances with Ellie Taylor For series 20, he was partnered with comedian, Ellie Taylor. WeekDance & songJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodMabuseBallasDu Beke1Quickstep / "I Am What I Am"677828No Elimination2Paso doble / "Les Toreadors"475723Safe3Cha-cha-cha / "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"465621Safe4Viennese waltz / "Boom Bang-a-Bang"787830Safe5Tango / "Casualty theme"777829Safe6Couple's Choice / "I Put a Spell on You"8999Safe7Rumba / "Alone"375722Safe8Charleston / "Friendship"788831Safe9American Smooth / "You're My World"7888Safe10Jive / "Brown Eyed Girl"5767Eliminated
number indicates when Ellie and Johannes were at the top of the leaderboard. number indicates when Ellie and Johannes were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Performances with Annabel Croft For series 21, he was partnered with former professional tennis player, Annabel Croft. WeekDance & songJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodMabuseBallasDu Beke1Cha-cha-cha / "Uptown Girl"777728No Elimination2Quickstep / "Walking on Sunshine"466622Safe3Waltz / "Moon River"887730Safe4Jive / "Feel It Still" 7 7 7 8 29 Safe5Charleston / "Ladies' Night" 5 7 7 8 27 Safe6Tango / "Need You Tonight" 7 7 7 8 29 Safe7Couple's Choice / "Wings" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe8Samba / "Whenever, Wherever" 7 8 8 8 31 Safe9American Smooth / "Unchained Melody" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe10Paso doble / "España cañí"8991036Safe11Foxtrot / "For Good"8889No elimination12Salsa / "You'll Be Mine (Party Time)"Viennese waltz / "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"88888889 Eliminated
number indicates when Annabel and Johannes were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Performances with Montell Douglas For series 22, he was partnered with Olympic sprinter, Montell Douglas. WeekDance & songJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodMabuseBallasDu Beke1Foxtrot / "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby"676726No Elimination2Samba / "Fuego"877830Safe3Tango / "One Night Only"777728Safe4Viennese waltz / "Nobody Gets Me"888933Safe5Couple's Choice / "Skeleton Move"9101010Safe6Cha-cha-cha / "Love Potion No. 9"999936Safe7Waltz / "I Will Always Love You"899935Bottom two8Paso doble / "Lola's Theme"999936Safe9Salsa / "Don't Leave Me This Way"899935Bottom two10Quickstep / "Get Happy"Samba-thon / "Samba" & "La Vida Es Un Carnaval"8Awarded1059Extra10Points3742Bottom two11Rumba / "I'm Here"788831Eliminated
number indicates when Montell and Johannes were at the top of the leaderboard.
Performances with Alex Kingston For series 23, he was partnered with actress, Alex Kingston. WeekDance & songJudges' scoreTotalResultHorwoodMabuseBallasDu Beke1Viennese waltz / "Cry Me a River"465621No Elimination2Samba / "La Bamba"7888Safe3Quickstep / "Suddenly I See" 7 8 7 8 30Safe4Rumba / “Fast Car”89109Safe5Foxtrot / “Here You Come Again”788932Safe6Salsa / “Horny”899935Safe7Paso Doble / “Amparito Roca"787830Safe8Waltz / "Weekend in New England"899935Safe9Couple's choice / "History Repeating" + "Look At Me"899935No Elimination10Cha-cha-cha / "Ring My Bell"4667Eliminated
number indicates when Alex and Johannes were at the top of the leaderboard. number indicates when Alex and Johannes were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Tours
YearShowNo. of showsNotes2022FREEDOM 30 1st solo show2022Strictly Come Dancing Live 202221 shows 2023FREEDOM UNLEASHED 42 2024House of Jojo 38 +Key Denotes productions that are upcoming
References