Strictly Come Dancing fans have been living in fear for months that one of their favourite professional dancers will waltz away from the BBC series – but he has finally suggested this is not the case
Strictly Come Dancing fans can breathe a sigh of relief after one show favourite dancer confirmed they will be returning to the long-running series. Later this year, professional dancers will be paired with another batch of celebrity contestants as the long-running BBC show returns for a 24th season.
And while original host Tess Daly and long-term fellow presenter Claudia Winkleman have now bowed out of the series, a number of familiar faces will still be seen on the ballroom floor. And South African dance whiz Johannes Radebe, 38, will be one of those faces.
Fans had been concerned that the dance star – who competed alongside ER actress Alex Kingston in the 2025 season – would quit the show, having completed an impressive seven years on the dance floor. But now the twinkle-toed star has confirmed he will be back for more later this year.
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Appearing on the BBC’s Graham Norton Show on Friday, Johannes confronted speculation that he planned to quit. Host Graham, 62, refelcted on the fact that the dancer appeared overcome with emotions when he bowed out of the 2025 contest as he and Alex lost a dance off.
The host asked: “I’ve got to ask you, while you’re here, Johannes, a lot of Strictly fans, myself included, were a bit worried, you were very boo hoo when you said goodbye to Alex Kingston on Strictly, is that the end? Are you not coming back to Strictly?”
The dancer replied: “Was I boo hoo?” as Graham confirmed: “Yes, you were sobbing!” The audience and fellow stars on the sofa soon appeared elated as Johannes effectively confirmed he will be back for the 2026 season.
He gushed: “Graham, I will do that show for as long as they will have me. It’s a magical, sparkling world, I love it.” The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.
His reaffirmation of love for Strictly comes after comments he made on the BBC show led to fans fearing he would quit. Speaking to Tess Daly before bowing out, he said at the time: “To my Strictly family, I’m forever grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
His remarks were seized upon by Strictly fans, with one writing on Reddit: “It really sounds like Johannes doesn’t intend to be back next series currently.” Another agreed, writing: “I got the impression too that he was saying goodbye to this chapter of his life.”
A further far wrote on X: “#Strictly, so that’s Johannes leaving at the end of the series yeah? He looked at ease and that speech seemed like he was laying the way for an announcement in a few weeks? What a sad loss if so. Wonderful man and dancer.”
And another commented at the time: “I hope it’s not Johannes’ last year on #Strictly? The way he said to my Strictly family and saying thank you etc. I hope he’s not leaving!”
Meanwhile, speculation has been rife over who could replace hosts Tess Daly, 56, and Claudia Winkleman, 54, with Zoe Ball, 55, a frontrunner to take over presenting duties. Late last year, her father, Johnny Ball, 87, shared insight on the likelihood his radio host daughter, who competed on Strictly in 2005 and hosted spin-off show It Takes Two from 2011 until 2021, would take the reins.
Opening up to the Express, Johnny said last December: “Nothing’s going to be decided until after Easter, but she’s in the mix, and people are coming to her, but it’s too early to say… I think she would love it, I think she would love the job because she took over from Claudia on It Takes Two, and if anything, she did a better job than Claudia.”
And just last month, Zoe herself teased that she may indeed be the new presenter. Opening up to The Sunday Times Style Magazine, she gushed: “Obviously there’s part of me that would love to do it. I love that show. I loved performing on it with Ian Waite, who is one of my best buddies. It’s so joyful.”
However, she did add: “It’s live telly, which is another thing that people don’t give the girls enough credit for. That show is a beast. Whoever gets to do it has a tough act to follow.”
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