Since becoming famous on Strictly Come Dancing, Johannes Radebe has broken down while expressing the most challenging aspect of success.
The 36-year-old professional dancer was born and raised in South Africa and originally featured on his native country’s version of Strictly before being cast in the British version in 2018.
Since then, he’s been matched with celebrities like as Caroline Quentin, Ellie Taylor, and John Whaite, who recently claimed he ‘fell in love’ with Johannes when they competed together on the BBC series’ 2021 season.
On the day his memoir, Jojo: Finally Home – My Story, was released, the dancer highlighted how he tries to reconcile the pleasure of his job accomplishments with the fact that his loved ones are so far away.
Johannes fought to fight back emotions when speaking about his mother Jacobeth on Loose Women on Thursday.
‘It’s emotional because great things happen in my life, but my family is never around to help celebrate it with me,’ he shared.
‘I wish she was here today.
‘I imagine where is right now and she is alone.’
He went on to add he was’so proud’ of his mother for accomplishing ‘amazing things,’ including raising him after his father died when Johannes was only 12 years old.
When asked about the title of his recently released book, Johannes explained that it was inspired by him ‘feeling noticed’ for the first time in his life.
‘I am amongst people that love what I do and that is liberating,’ he said.
When asked how far he’d come from his beginnings in the Zamdela township, Johannes replied he was now living a life that was ‘far’ from the one he was reared in.
‘I’m now in a position to look after my family and mum is comfortable,’ he explained.
While Johannes detailed being bullied for ‘being happy and flamboyant’ and having a passion for dance when he was younger, he said the women in his life provided much needed support and that their ‘reassurances kept me going’.
While he experienced a tough relationship with his father, teasing from classmates, and inquiries from relatives about when he would get tired of his dancing “phase,” he said he utilised all of these things as a “driving force.”
Johannes cried as he said how he’d dedicated his book to his mother and how he hadn’t realised how ‘hard’ it would be to write down all of his life events.
He also stated that, despite living in the “most progressive country,” he is concerned about other homosexual men throughout the world.
‘I know we have a long way to go but it is easier this side of town and on my continent there are still people who are being killed and that is the reality. That is my lived experience.
‘My friends still talk about things that affect us.’
Earlier this week, Johannes said he wished he’d seen his mother’s struggles sooner, referring to her and other women in his life as “pillars of strength.”
Recognising that he had not completely recognised his mother’s hardships as a youngster, Johannes stated that he should have been “kinder” to his mother because she was “just also human and gettingthrough things.”
Strictly Come Dancing 2023 returns on Saturday September 23 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30pm on ITV1.
Source My Celebrity Life.
