04 September 2023 , 15:32
740
0
Bake Off star John Whaite has awkwardly dismissed his feelings for former Strictly Come Dancing partner Johannes Radebe just weeks after declaring he loved him.
The 34-year-old celebrity chef was partnered with 36-year-old Johannes when he was a contestant on the BBC’s long-running dance competition back in 2021. And he caused eyebrows across the nation to rise when he sensationally explained earlier this summer that he had been in love with his dance partner - despite being in a long term relationship with another man.
Now John seems to have thrown away his feelings for Johannes and dismissed his feelings for the South African dance sensation as ‘fake’. John made his surprising new confession while appearing on Channel 4 lunchtime show Steph’s Packed Lunch - which he stars on as an in-house chef.
With Strictly returning to screens this year with a range of new celebrities taking to the dance floor, host Steph McGovern, 41, asked John if he had any advice for the stars appearing on the new series. And to the surprise of viewers, John replied: “Just don't fall in love with your partner!
John Whaite has brutally claimed his love for Johannes Radebe was 'fake' (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
John recently revealed he had to temporarily split from his boyfriend, now fiancé, after falling in love with Johannes (WireImage)“Don't forget your steps, don't fall in love and remember that Strictly is a pantomime. It's a lovely, beautiful show but at the end of the day, it's just showbiz, it's fake.”
Strictly's Molly Rainford and Tyler West fuel romance rumours while on tour
John added: “Just do it, treat it as a job, go home and think about the people that you love. Because at the end of the day, Strictly Come Dancing is not going to hold your hand on your deathbed, the people that you love are going to be there.”
His comments come just weeks after John explained that he fell in love with Johannes while performing on Strictly. Opening up about his experience in his autobiography, John 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." He added: "I still love Johannes. Of course I do."
John, who is engaged to Paul Atkins, his partner of 15 years, also explained that he had to split with him following his time on Strictly while he processed his emotions. He said: "For a while, Paul and I had to have some time apart. I felt like I didn’t know what I wanted from my existence any more.
“Paul had moved back with his parents and I thought to myself 'What the hell are you doing?', I was making that childhood premonition of growing old alone come true…. Fourteen years in a solid relationship with a man who loves me unconditionally, a man who would move the earth to make me feel safe and I was p***ing all over it."
Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4, stream or watch live weekdays at midday.