Strictly Come Dancing's Johannes Radebe recalls moment he was reunited with bully who made school life hell

Strictly Come Dancing star Johannes Radebe has spoken of the moment he was reunited with a bully who made his school life hell. The talented dancer is a huge hit with fans of the BBC One dance contest and will be back on screens soon when the 21st series begins.

However, Johannes didn't have the easiest of times before stardom back in his home country of Zamdela, South Africa. The 36-year-old recently headed back home in order to pen his autobiography, Jojo: Finally Home - My Inspirational Memoir, in which he discusses for the first time the "experiences and challenges he's faced - from growing up in Zamdela, a township in South Africa, as a young boy with a passion for dance (and playing with Barbies), to becoming the star he is today."

On Saturday (September 9), Johannes appeared on Radio 4's Saturday Live where he discussed the bullying he faced and his trip back to Zamdela. "The thing is about it [the bullying], writing this book has also made me realise a lot about my childhood. That the only two places I felt safe were at home and dance practice and that's the two places where my world revolved around.

Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.

"I didn't have a childhood like other kids where I could just roam the streets without being picked on because I was a bit happy and flamboyant. That was my reality and I used to get it from kids and adults alike. We came from a township and people are so stereotyped. It's stifling and it was like that for many years.

"I also knew that it was the dancing thing that put me in harm's way but my love for it could not allow me to deter from doing what I needed to do despite that they would smack me and you'd ask, 'why are you