Add to preferred sourcesCommentsLifestyleAngie Quinn Screen Time Reporter 19:38, 22 Oct 2026View 3 ImagesJohannes Radebe has opened up about presenting Strictly Come Dancing (Image: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing host Johannes Radebe has confirmed his true feelings about presenting the BBC One show as the competition heads into week five. The 39-year-old was a professional dancer on the glitzy BBC series from 2018 and was partnered with many famous faces, including Annabel Croft, Catherine Tyldesley, and It Takes Two host Ellie Taylor.

This year, Johannes swapped the dance floor for the studio, as he is one of the three new hosts of Strictly alongside Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe after veteran presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly left last year. Appearing on Thursday's (October 22) episode of It Takes Two, Johannes was quizzed by former dance partner Ellie on how he truly feels about his presenting role.

"I am living my best life," the dancer confidently told Ellie, before adding: "Listen, it's been wonderful, my darling, really, really wonderful but I'm not going to deny the fact that it has been nerve-wracking. Two and a half hours of live television is no child's play."

View 3 ImagesJosh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe are now presenting Strictly Come Dancing (Image: PA Wire)

Ellie lightheartedly chipped in: "Also, half an hour is also quite hard," as Johannes agreed, "It very much is", as they both laughed.

The talented dancer then paid a sweet tribute to his co-hosts, and added: "It's been lovely, and what I think that has been lovely about it is the love and support that I have around me.

"Having to work with Emma and Josh, who have been so kind and held my hand through this experience, I have to say thank you to them, because I don't know how I would have done it. But also, I'm at home; how can you not have fun at home?"

Johannes' role as Strictly host is to interview the celebrity contestants and their pro partners on the upstairs balcony following their performance and the subsequent feedback from judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood, which he called the "best part of his job".

"I think receiving them after the judges' comments, you know they are in such a vulnerable position, you would know, you come up those stairs and you've done what you have done, I don't look at their performance", Johannes explained.

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View 3 ImagesJohannes spoke to Ellie about hosting Strictly on It Takes Two (Image: BBC)

"I consider everything that they have been through that week, and what I want to do is to make them feel seen and celebrated in that moment, and I want to be the one saying to them, 'You have achieved something this week let's celebrate', so it's a real privilege."

Strictly returns on Saturday for week five of the competition with the 12 remaining contestants ready to dazzle on the dancefloor after Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon were the latest couple to be eliminated.

Last week, Delta Goodrem was injured and unable to perform, but it was Cach Mercer and his partner Maddie Ingoldsby, along with Jaime Winstone and her partner Carlos Gu, who tied with 34 out of 40 at the top of the leaderboard. But who will dance their way into week six and who will be making an exit?