Entertainment
Johannes Radebe’s journey from sleeping in dance studios to Strictly presenter
For Johannes Radebe, stepping onto the Strictly Come Dancing stage in a presenting role is about far more than a new television job.
The South African dancer has gone from struggling to establish himself in Johannesburg, at one point sleeping in the dance studio where he worked and even in the back of taxis, to becoming one of the familiar faces of one of Britain’s biggest television shows.
Now, after eight years as a Strictly professional, Radebe is moving behind the dancefloor and into the presenter lineup alongside Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe. The 2026 series marks a major change for the programme, with Radebe joining the show as it begins its first season without long-time presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
From Zamdela to the dancefloor
Radebe reportedly grew up in Zamdela, South Africa, and was raised largely by his mother, Jacobeth. His father separated from his mother while Johannes was still at school and died when he was 12. His family circumstances meant that establishing himself as a dancer was not simply about chasing a dream, he also had to find ways to support himself.
While studying, he took whatever work he could find, including a job wearing what he described as a ‘big yellow Muppet costume’. The work may have been far removed from the dance career he wanted, but the money was important at a difficult time.
‘I was eating baked beans for a week and I thought ‘this is tough’.’
– Johannes Radebe
He has also spoken about the lack of resources available to him in his early dance years. He taught himself by watching dance tapes and continued training despite not having the costumes, facilities or financial support that could have made the journey easier. ‘I was self-taught. I used to watch lots of tapes,’ he said.
There were nights he had nowhere to stay
Radebe’s early years in Johannesburg were particularly difficult. As he worked to establish himself in the dance industry, homelessness became part of his reality. He has recalled paying taxi drivers so he could sleep in the back of their vehicles and staying overnight in the dance studio where he worked.
Those experiences stand in sharp contrast to his life today, with Radebe now living in London and having built a career spanning television, theatre and dance. Looking back, he says the extremes have shaped his outlook.
‘It’s a blessing and a curse to know life in both extremes.’
– Johannes Radebe
That history is an important part of understanding why his latest Strictly opportunity carries such significance. His career was not built from easy access to the entertainment industry. It developed through years of teaching, performing and taking opportunities wherever they appeared.
Before becoming a household name among Strictly viewers, Radebe spent seven years performing on cruise ships. He later taught dance in Johannesburg before joining the South African version of Strictly Come Dancing in 2014. Four years later, the British show reportedly came calling.
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A career built on unexpected turns
Radebe’s Strictly journey has already taken him well beyond professional dancing. He has performed on the West End, including a celebrated run in Kinky Boots, completed a solo stage tour and published a memoir.
He has also spoken openly about the self-doubt that accompanied some of those opportunities, including questioning whether audiences would actually buy tickets to see him perform on his own. That uncertainty has not disappeared completely.
However, his career has given him something tangible to push back against it: evidence of what he has already achieved.
‘I never thought I’d be an author, an actor, or a West End performer. Now I’m presenting this show.’
– Johannes Radebe
For a dancer who once worried that taking a job in a Muppet costume might affect how he was viewed professionally, the journey to the Strictly presenting desk is an extraordinary change of circumstances.
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Featured Image: @Independent / X
