Johannes Radebe has been captivating audiences in the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom since 2019, and now, the twinkle-toed star is about to replicate his prowess in his musical debut.
The adored choreographer, 36, delighted fans and his Strictly co-stars when he announced he'll be playing Lola in the upcoming Kinky Boots tour, posing up an absolute storm in the iconic, red heeled footwear.
Discussing his first rodeo in musical theatre, Johannes will reveal on this weekend's Jonathan Ross Show, "I’m a late bloomer. I have the opportunity to play Lola in Kinky Boots. Everything I’ve done in my career has led to this moment. I’ve followed it since its inception.”
When and where can I see Johannes in Kinky Boots?
While we're used to seeing Johannes bust a move, his vocals are something he has been working on for his new role. "It’s been two years I’ve been taking my singing lessons because I’ve known about the job for two years. I just wanted to respect people who have come before me and put in the work before I could say yes. I’m grateful that the producers waited until I was ready," he says.
Johannes' fanbase is already desperate to get their hands on tickets for the Kinky Boots tour, which launches in Leicester in January 2025. But as he'll be busy preparing to tread the boards, what will this mean for his future on Strictly Come Dancing?
Whether he's made the professional line-up this year is still up in the air, as Johannes says, "I’m still waiting for that phone call. Fingers crossed. Jonathan, everybody wants this job. It is great to be a part of it because there are people waiting in the wings to snatch the job.”
The dancer has been paired with the likes of actress Catherine Tyldesley, former tennis player Annabel Croft, and most successfully Bake-Off's John Whaite, with whom he finished runner-up in 2021 as part of the first-ever same-sex couple.
After being praised for the latter partnership, South Africa-born Johannes gets emotional, admitting, "I have to say I’ve spent the last seven years in this country and it has been absolutely wonderful. I feel seen and that experience really brought a certain confidence to me that I cannot tell you - I’ve never had that. It’s restored my faith in humanity, that experience. To hear people give feedback as to how beautiful it was, that really humbles me.”
All we can do is keep our fingers tightly crossed that Johannes is happy to switch up the kinky boots and Strictly shoes...
The Jonathan Ross Show, Saturday at 22.05pm On ITV1 And ITVX.
Millie Payne is a News and Entertainment Writer for Closer. She has specialised in showbiz interviews, features, articles and roundups for over three years and loves combining her love for writing, talking and all things popular culture.