Strictly's Johannes Radebe reveals why he's 'never been happier ' after past 'could have broken' him
'Strictly Come Dancing' star Johannes Radebe is the "happiest" he has ever been - even though he thinks his dark past "could have broken" him.
Johannes Radebe is the "happiest" he has ever been.
The 37-year-old star found fame as a professional on 'Strictly Coming Dancing' but admitted now that he is starring as drag queen Lola in the UK tour of the musical 'Kinky Boots', he is "living his best life", even though he knew he had to train hard for the part.
Speaking on ITV's 'Lorraine', he told stand-in host Ranvir Singh: "I am living my best life, I can't tell you. This whole experience has just been so needed. I said to my mama that I'd never been this happy. I can't tell you. And I don't know if it's bringing the elements, singing dancing, acting and the dialogue.
"I've always been discouraged and told to shut up! It took me two years in training because I wanted to do it right, I knew there was a lot of black, queer men standing on the sides who wanted this job so I had to do it justice."
"I started with the singing and it was just a confidence thing, honestly."
In 2023, the TV star published his memoir 'JoJo: Finally Home' - which is being made into a film - and admitted that even though he had to go into therapy to begin the writing process, he was encouraged to do so because people "needed to hear" his story.
He said: "I think so much has happened in my life and it could have broke me and it didn't. And when I look back it now, I'm so grateful to have shared those things that I've been through that are quite dark. My story is one that I thought should never be told and should stay in the dark but then my agent said that people needed to hear it.
"So I had to go into therapy and deal with all those things that I'd been through. I came out and decide that I'm standing tall and it's so lovely to tell my story but I also know it's not about me.
"[The fim] is so exciting, it's signed, sealed and, gonna be delivered, I hope soon. Writers are coming on board, producers are coming on board.
"There are so many JoJos running around the towns, I get to go home every time and work with them so I say it won't be hard at all [to cast myself!]"
