A Strictly Come Dancing Star from Lancashire has opened up about what it means to be the first same sex male couple to compete on the show.

John Thwaite, from Chorley, spoke out on Steph’s Packed Lunch yesterday (21 September) to talk about his pairing with professional dancer, Johannes Radebe.

It was the first official interview of the pairing since their coupling was officially announced on Saturday’s Strictly launch show.

The chef, television presenter and author opened up about “making history” on the BBC show.

 

 

READ MORE: Strictly’s John Whaite: Same-sex role models will give kids hope for the future

Speaking about his training so far, Johannas said “he’s been phenomenal".

He added: “He’s been lovely to work with. He’s got a discipline that is unquestionable.”

He said: “It’s been lovely, I mean I saw Nicola and Katya do it last year and I was like ‘Yay’.

“So when it does come around I would love to be a part of it and when John said ‘I want to do this’, and proudly so, I was just like ‘This is my guy’.

Speaking to Steph with Johannes at his side, John revealed how the duo manage their dancing dynamics.

John said: “I’m living my best life. I’m loving every minute. I think I’m tiring [Johannes] out.”

John and Johannes also talked about the dynamics of same-sex dancing and how it will work.

Johannes said: “We just need to find the balance in that we are two big blokes.

“The principles are still there the basic fundamentals are still the same.

“We switch between roles and you can’t get that in a female/male partnership … I think that’s what’s gonna be dynamic about this partnership.”

John added: “I’ll be clinging onto this one for dear life

“And I think that’s the biggest shock

“He’s been spinning around women his whole life and now he’s got this 15 and a half stone lad.

“When he first span me around I nearly pulled him over. I’ve stood on his toes, he’s got nail marks in his back- from spinning not anything else.”

John also revealed that the pair have already had a ‘tiff’ in rehearsals after Johannes was simply being “too nice” to him.

He said: “He was being too nice. I said, ‘Johannes, I’m just not getting it so please can you talk me through the steps, be horrible to me and I’ll get it.’

“He was like, ‘No darling, I don’t do that.’ I started crying.”

They are set to perform a Tango to Blue Monday for their opening dance this Saturday (25 September).

John said that while he has “the choreograph nailed” he still needs to work “stepping and lunging.”

He added: “It’s a beautiful dance and I just don’t want to let [Johannes] down.

“It gives me shivers just talking about it – it’s a beautiful dance.”

Strictly Come Dancing’s first live shows airs on BBC One on Saturday night (25 September)

Steph’s Packed Lunch is shown every weekday at 12.30pm on Channel 4.