Johannes Radebe: 'Strictly' same-sex pairing changed my relationship with my mum

Strictly’s Johannes Radebe has said dancing with John Whaite on the show changed his relationship with his mum.

The pro was paired with Bake Off star Whaite in the last series of the BBC ballroom show, with the pair making history as Strictly’s first all-male couple.

Speaking on This Morning, Radebe said the same-sex pairing had “really changed my relationship with my mother”.

Read more: John Whaite 'comfortable in own skin for first time' thanks to Johannes Radebe

He told hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary: “For the first time we can speak about my sexuality openly.”

Radebe, who is South African, went on: “There was no problem but it was something that we never addressed, it was something we never spoke about.”

"With African people, very conservative, and I respect that still, but it is nice the way it is now,” he said.

The star also talked about how grateful he is for his dance success and said he is planning to buy his mother a home.

Radebe — who now has a solo dance tour entitled Freedom — said: “To be able to share it with my mama who has obviously had to sit through my life with me going ‘I’ll make it one day’, it’s nice to share this moment and I said finally I will be able to buy her a home.”

Radebe and Whaite were a big hit on Strictly and made it all the way to the final.

Read more: Strictly 2021's best moments of the series

However, they lost out to Rose Ayling-Ellis and her pro partner Giovanni Pernice.

Watch: Strictly's John and Johannes reveal training fall out