Strictly Come Dancing fans can breathe a sigh of relief after professional dancer Johannes Radebe confirmed he will return for the show's 24th season later this year. The 38-year-old South African dancer had sparked fears he might quit after an emotional exit from the 2025 series with celebrity partner Alex Kingston.
Appearing on The Graham Norton Show on Friday, Radebe addressed the speculation directly. Host Graham Norton, 62, asked: 'I've got to ask you, while you're here, Johannes, a lot of Strictly fans, myself included, were a bit worried, you were very boo hoo when you said goodbye to Alex Kingston on Strictly, is that the end? Are you not coming back to Strictly?'
Radebe replied: 'Graham, I will do that show for as long as they will have me. It's a magical, sparkling world, I love it.' The audience and fellow guests reacted with delight at the confirmation. Radebe first joined Strictly in 2018 and has been a fan favourite ever since.
Fans had grown concerned after Radebe's farewell speech to Tess Daly, in which he said: 'To my Strictly family, I'm forever grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.' One Reddit user wrote: 'It really sounds like Johannes doesn't intend to be back next series currently.' Another added on X: 'That speech seemed like he was laying the way for an announcement in a few weeks.'
Meanwhile, speculation continues over who will replace departing hosts Tess Daly, 56, and Claudia Winkleman, 54. Zoe Ball, 55, is considered a frontrunner, having hosted spin-off It Takes Two from 2011 to 2021. Her father, Johnny Ball, 87, told the Express in December: 'Nothing's going to be decided until after Easter, but she's in the mix.' Zoe herself told The Sunday Times Style Magazine: 'Obviously there's part of me that would love to do it.'
