AFTER WINNING HEARTS ON 'STRICTLY COME DANCING' JOHANNES RADEBE ON HAVING HIS LIFE STORY TURNED INTO A FILM AND BEING READY FOR LOVE THANKS TO ANNABEL CROFT

With his radiant smile, charm and joyful aura, Strictly Come Dancing star Johannes Radebe has waltzed, samba-ed and cha-cha-ed his way into the hearts of the nation.

- SALLY MORGAN

But as he prepares to tour the UK with his new show House of Jojo, the South African dancer says he wants to find love for himself-and that's all thanks to his 2023 Strictly partner, Annabel Croft.

"I went on one date with a gentleman and it was lovely," he exclusively tells HELLO!, his voice full of emotion. "It's now about me doing this a lot more.

"Meeting the beautiful Annabel, I was reminded to live again. She's encouraged me to be more social and since then, my life has changed. I've started going out, but needed someone to tell me that." He and the former tennis player used to walk in the park together during rehearsal. "Having spent time with her, I connected with her and with nature. That has allowed me to step outside and go to parties."

Sensitive and soulful, 36-year-old JoJo, as he's known, has told us before how despite having "love in bundles", he longs to be in an intimate relationship.

"Kindness is my type," he says.

"That is love for me. Kindness is love because when you're kind to one another, nothing can come between you. Love is caring and that's how I recognise it in people.

"A kind gesture goes a long way.

It builds a better society when everyone is kind."

HELPING HANDS

Johannes was perfectly matched in kindness when he and sports presenter Annabel teamed up.

She took part in Strictly after losing her husband, 60-year-old Mel Coleman, to stomach cancer last May, not long after his diagnosis. Being on the show was "a distraction from grief and dark thoughts", she said.

But while Johannes was a comfort to her, he tells HELLO! how Annabel played a vital caring role for him, too, after the death of his 29-year-old cousin Taboha by suicide.

"Everyone thought I was helping her, but she helped me, too," he says. "She was so nurturing, telling me to bring my washing to her and cooking for me. Her kindness blew my mind.