All the signs Strictly stars John and Johannes were secretly in love

15 August 2023 , 14:09

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All the signs Strictly stars John and Johannes were secretly in love

Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite, 34, made history in 2021 when he and Johannes Radebe, 36, became the first same-sex couple to take to the dance floor. John has now revealed he developed feelings for the South African professional dancer while on Strictly, saying he and his partner of 15 years, Paul Atkins, 'spent time apart' after the series ended and after he realised he was in love with Johannes.

Opening up about his experience, he said: "I fell in love with him [Johannes]. I can't speak for him – because I'm not allowed to, legally – but it felt like there was love there. We had such similar stories growing up; the homophobia, the bullying, coming out, coming to terms with our sexuality, as any queer kid would." John then stated: "I still love Johannes. Of course I do."

Body language expert Judi James told us the pair "looked besotted on the dance floor" as she shed light on the couple's undeniable chemistry. "The first clue was actually the lack of relaxed PDAs from the couple.,' she explained. "If anything it was the rather dry nature of John and Johannes’s routines that created the suspicion that there could be something real building behind the scenes that they might have been wary about showing.

Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite, 34, made history in 2021 when he and Johannes Radebe, 36, became the first same-sex couple to take to the dance floor (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

John and his partner of 15 years, Paul Atkins, 'spent time apart' after the series ended and after he realised he was in love with Johannes (john_whaite/Instagram)

"When they posed for the cameras there was often a less tactile look and a rather emphatic amount of space between them at a point in the show when other Strictly couples were clinging together like limpets. Johannes is so adorable and all his partners seem to fall in love with him, so why not John? was the question."

Then there was the visit from John's fiance Paul during which the baker's partner rocked up at the studio, leaving Johannes on the sidelines. Judi said the dancer "stood back watching as John hugged his fiancé during the ‘surprise’ visit, but these partner visits always look tense when they intrude on what has always become a long hours and intense proximity relationship between the dance partners."

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There was the visit from John's fiance Paul during which the baker's partner rocked up at the studio (BBC)

Our body language expert also reckons there was a 'power shift' between John and Johannes as the competition progressed, saying: "When John began the show his big love affair seemed to be with himself, and quite rightly. He seemed confident and his body language during interviews with Johannes gave the impression that he was the one calling the shots during rehearsals, while Johannes looked quieter and politely submissive. At some point though this power balance began to show signs of changing and this did give hints that John might have suddenly realised he was in the arms of one of the best dance tutors on the show and begin to be in awe of Johannes."

However it's the couple's body language away from the studio which Judi believes is really telling. When they attended the BAFTAs in 2022 and were snapped in a bus shelter, she thinks their pose "looked so sweetly emotional and did seem to illustrate John’s claims of love more authentically. As Johannes wept, John cupped his head and pulled it against his own, suggesting ongoing bonds of trust, rapport and emotional empathy."

After he left the show, John said he spent 'some time apart' from Paul, who moved back in with his parents while John 'sat on the patio, drinking bottle after bottle of sauvignon blanc', reports The Times. However, the couple patched up their differences and are now engaged, with the baker sharing: "I look at Paul and what he’s put up with over the years and how he’s nurtured me and stood by me, and who would throw that away? I couldn’t."

Body language expert Judi James told us the pair "looked besotted on the dance floor" (Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)

John revealed he and Johannes still keep in touch, but insisted he would 'cut all contact' if it became 'tricky' for Paul. Concluding he loves his fiancé 'to bits', John conceded he has to be 'mindful there are more than just his feelings to consider in the relationship".

Many couples have fallen victim to the so-called 'Strictly curse' over the years as celebrities spend several weeks with their professional partner in the studio and on the dance floor. However, luckily for John and his fiancé Paul, the pair managed to escape it - but not without some turbulence along the way.

At the beginning of John’s Strictly journey, the Bake Off star put all rumours to bed in an interview where he insisted his fiancé Paul had nothing to worry about when it came to the Strictly curse.

Speaking to The Sun at the time, John said: "When you spend that much time with someone, you see them warts and all. I think I’ve burped in Johannes’ face. I might have even farted at one point. There is no attraction because you see sweat and everything. If you could see our sweaty underpants, you wouldn’t find us sexy."

However, the signs were all there, when John told Johannes he 'loved' him after one particularly poignant dance together. Eagle-eyed viewers had claimed that the pair were 'so flirty' with one another as the weeks progressed on Strictly Come Dancing.

Then, during an interview with It Takes Two host Rylan Clark, John gazed into Johannes eyes on the famous couch and said: "I have to say, I love this man! I really do."

After the flirty confession, Strictly fans immediately took to Twitter (now known as X) to debate the flirtatious behaviour between John and Johannes as one wrote at the time: "THE CHEMISTRY THAT JOHN AND JOHANNES HAVE IS UNMATCHED THIS YEAR!! #ItTakesTwo #Strictly."

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Another viewer tweeted at the time: "John and Johannes are SO SO flirty. Sitting really close and touching each other and talking so sweetly about each other. I ship them and I'm not even sorry."

"John and Johannes have the hots for one another, and they have it bad. They seem perfect for one another," someone else insisted at the time.

Judi James