‘I pinch myself every single day'

Strictly’s Johannes is living the dream, being on not one but two primetime shows as he goes into the Celebrity MasterChef kitchen this week

- VICKI POWER

Strictly dancer Johannes Radebe, 34, is about to sashay into the kitchen as a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef, showing off his moves at the cooker to judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace. During a chat with the South African hoofer, Johannes talked about his newfound love of cooking, same-sex Strictly pairings, and who would be his dream dance partner…

Johannes, why did you want to do Celebrity MasterChef?

I wanted to challenge myself. I can’t say I was the biggest fan of the show, but you know who are the biggest fans of MasterChef? My entire family. I knew if I had missed out on this opportunity, they would come for me. Going into the studio, I remember thinking, “I’m Johannes, from the smallest township in the Free State [province] of South Africa, walking through the MasterChef doors in the United Kingdom.’ I was just overwhelmed and proud. And nervous.

What did you make of John Torode and Gregg Wallace?

I wouldn’t have survived the competition if it wasn’t for their thought-provoking tips. When I was given liver and kidneys for my first challenge [called Under The Cloche] and had to make a dish, I was petrified – I’d never cooked them before. John said, “It’s meat, isn’t it? How would you cook meat?” And I was like, “Oh, OK. You can apply this principle to that. It’s not rocket science.”

Were you a good cook before?