BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Johannes Radebe's bullying struggle and bond with Corrie star

Johannes Radebe has become a firm favourite with Strictly Come Dancing fans since bursting onto our screens in 2018. He made history with the show's first same sex dance - and was part of the first all-male partnership to compete, alongside John Whaite.

It's been a difficult journey to stardom for the South African, who faced bullying at school for his sexuality and at one point ending up homeless. And although those days are long behind him, he's also been targeted by online trolls for breaking boundaries on Strictly.

Away from Strictly, he's also taken to the road with his own dance extravaganza House of Jojo, penned autobiography Jojo: Finally Home. Next year he will tour the UK as part of Kinky Boots: The Musical - but first there's the small matter of bidding for the Strictly Glitterball Trophy with 2024 celebrity partner Montell Douglas - aka Fire from Gladiator.

Read on to find about his life and career so far.

The star was born in Zamdela, Orange Free State, South Africa on April 27, 1987. He and his sister went to a local dance school together.

Their parents separated while they were still at school. At just 13 years old, Johannes left home to live with a dance coaching couple in Gauteng province, attending a secondary school in the Johannesburg suburb of Ennerdale.

Johannes went on to land his first job as a dance teacher in Johannesburg. However there were times that he was earning so little, he couldn't afford an apartment of his own and ended up homeless. He would pay taxi drivers so he could fall asleep for a bit in the back of their cabs, or he'd secretly stay overnight in the dance studio.

With the encouragement of a friend, he went on to audition for a production on a cruise ship - and landed the role.