Johannes Radebe has insisted there is a 'plan' for him to continue dancing on Strictly Come Dancing despite taking on hosting duties. The 39-year-old star has reassured fans that his dancing shoes will not be hung up, following concerns that he would no longer perform on the BBC show after transitioning from a professional dancer to a co-presenter.
New Hosting Role
Johannes was announced as one of the new presenters alongside Emma Willis, 50, and Josh Widdicombe, 43, taking over the Latin and Ballroom dance programme in September after Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quit. The popular duo had fronted Strictly together since 2014, and speculation was rife about who would land the coveted roles. Now, Johannes has confirmed he will still be hitting the dancefloor, as dancing is a huge part of his life and it would be a 'travesty' if he stopped.
Johannes' Statement
Johannes told The Sun: 'The question I'm getting asked the most is, "Are you not going to dance any more?" Now listen, I'm not hanging up my dancing shoes yet. 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 would be a travesty for me. There's a plan in action, that's all I'm going to say. You're going to see JoJo!'
Behind the Scenes Excitement
In a behind-the-scenes clip posted on Strictly's Instagram story, Johannes and new co-star Josh discussed their excitement. Josh said: 'It doesn't feel real.' Johannes replied: 'You're telling me, you're telling me.' Josh went on: 'Jojo, how you feeling about not being part of that dancing team and having to interview them?' Johannes responded: 'Listen, I'm not hanging up my dancing shoes as yet. That I'm definitely not doing. I mean, I cannot. What is my life without a Cha Cha Cha?' Josh joked: 'Oh, I feel the same. That's how I feel every morning.'
In another clip, the pair and fellow new host Emma shared their anticipation. Josh remarked: 'Genuinely, this is the most exciting thing in my life that I've ever kept to myself. Can't wait.' Emma added: 'I still can't find the words because my tummy is flipping consistently. I would imagine it's how you feel when you know you've got to walk down the stairs dancing the cha cha! And like everything goes to jelly. That's how I feel thinking about what we're about to do.' Johannes said: 'It's petrifying but I can't tell you how exciting it is.'
Emma later commented: 'We're going to laugh a lot, aren't we? Just lots of laughing.' Josh agreed: 'Just laugh our way through it.'
Josh on His Co-Hosts
The final clip featured Josh by himself, speaking about his new colleagues. He said: 'I've just realised I've been booked to present something with two of the most striking people on television and I look like me. Absolute disaster. Emma is like one of the great TV hosts of our generation. And Johannes is one of the great dancers of our generation. And I'm here as well. I'm looking forward to the first episode because I think it will be the only episode in the history of Strictly where the presenters are more nervous than the dancers. It's going to be great.'
