Strictly Come Dancing professional Johannes Radebe has opened up about his new role as co-host alongside Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe, describing the experience as "eye-opening."
Johannes on His New Hosting Role
Appearing on Monday's edition of Morning Live, the dancer, who has been a pro on the BBC hit show since 2018, shared his thoughts on working with his new colleagues. The trio are set to take over from former hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly when the series returns this September.
Johannes told presenters Gethin Jones and Holly Hamilton: "It's a trio of fabulous people and I think we all give the main character energy in our respective fields. If you've met Josh and Emma, they're just the most wonderful people. We should all look in September at what is going to happen as we are all in planning but it's exciting."
Chemistry Tests and Laughter
Before landing the role, Johannes underwent several chemistry tests with his now co-stars. He admitted feeling unsure at first but said Emma and Josh quickly put him at ease. "It was absolutely wonderful and eye-opening. As you can imagine I was like 'what am I doing here'. But I think it was seeing Emma and Josh and having to emulate the setup of how the show works," he explained.
"We stood in our respected spaces and we did our thing. The only thing I took away from that experience from that room was the laughter - there was a lot of laughter that happened in that room."
The star added: "I think it was just so wonderful because as soon as we left we were like 'aw it would be lovely if it came true'. I thank Josh and Emma for making me feel comfortable as this is something that they can do. Emma was very generous and that is just what I'm taking from that because I was like 'wow I didn't know what I was doing here' but at the end of the day it was just lovely."
A New Era for Strictly
When Johannes' new role was first announced, he said: "To be returning to Strictly Come Dancing in this new role is beyond anything I ever imagined. This show has always stood for joy, heart, and togetherness, and I feel deeply honoured to now help carry that magic forward."
The upcoming series will not only feature the new hosting team but also welcome some new professional dancers, several familiar faces, and the four returning judges. Strictly Come Dancing is set to air in September on BBC One.
Morning Live airs weekdays from 9:30 am on BBC One and iPlayer.
