We’re all used to seeing John whip up a storm in the kitchen and now, the bake off star and TV presenter is taking to the dancefloor for Strictly 2021.
Not only this, he’s also making history by being part of the first all-male dancing couple on the show.
“I think watching the show last year, in the midst of the pandemic, it was quite apparent how important the show was really as a bit of respite from everything that was going on in the world.
“When I got asked to do Strictly, I was absolutely honoured because I wanted to do it since I was a little boy.”
With being ½ of Strictly’s first male partnership, John was apprehensive about the response the news would get, so he was very pleased when the news was revealed.
“The reaction has been so positive, because I'm doing the first all male partnership. I genuinely, genuinely did think that I was going to receive a fair bit of hate because you do as a gay man, you get a lot of hate, it's something you grow up, and you learn to deal with. Shouldn't have to, but we do. But I can honestly say that I haven't had a single message of negativity.
“It was when I was talking to Matt Lucas on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, I realized how important a step forward this is because for little kids who watch the show to have role models, you know, same sex role models, it'll give them a little bit of hope for the future it won't make them grow up with the same shame that I grew up with and that Matt Lucas grew up with. And also, it's not just about queer people, it's about intimacy generally like to men, whether they're straight or gay, can be intimate with each other. And I hope that this goes to show that it kind of breaks down that notion of toxic masculinity, which is so rife, especially in Britain, you know, if you look at Europe, people are much more intimate with each other there. So why can't we have that?”
As a regular on Steph’s Packed Lunch alongside judge Anton, we wondered if the newest Strictly judge had been giving John any secret tips.
“He hasn't given me a single tip because he didn't know. I was dying to tell him that I was on the show, because I knew last time I saw Anton was on Steph’s Packed Lunch. I knew I was going to be the first all male partnership. But I just thought if I tell him it kind of breaks that boundary. I think I don't want him to give me advice. I don't want him to tell me anything at all. I just want to crack on with it and get through it and have a good time and go home if I'm not.”
All this year’s celebs seem so excited to be ‘Strictlyfied’ and John is no exception!
“I'm looking forward to the free spray tans, I'm not gonna lie. But I'm also just looking forward to wearing beautiful clothes.
“I'm looking forward to the sheerest outfits possible. I want mesh, I want sequins and I want everything on show basically, you know, I want to be as glamorous as possible.”
But will he be making cakes for his partner or the judges to sweeten them up?
“I’ve made a vow not to make any cakes during Strictly because I can't take the pressure of the other celebs judging my cakes as well as the judges judging my dancing. I can't do that. Although Greg Wise this morning has given me a jar of his homemade damson jam which is my favourite so I'm also fangirling over the fact that I might be eating damson jam with damsons from Greg Wise and Emma Thompson’s damson tree!”
When it comes to finding the perfect professional dancer to be a part of the first all male partnership, John would love it to be one pro in particular.
“I hope it’s Johannes cos I think that’d be really important for him to be part of the first male couple, I think it'd be a really powerful message for him as well. And that's not to say that in the future. It has to be two gay men. It could be two straight men in an all male couple. But I think for the first one it would be important for it to be Johannes.
“I think I just need someone who is compassionate, empathetic, but who won't tolerate any kind of laziness. Because I'll be doing 12 hours a day. Like when I want to do something, I put my heart and soul into it in a kind of almost abnormal way. Like I get obsessive about things. So I want a partner who will let me be obsessed with and let me just do as many hours as we can. But also someone who's going to say, you know, you need to just take a minute now you need to stop. Because I won't - I don't have an off switch!”
Of course, John is used to having his cakes judged after being on Bake Off, but how does he feel about having his dance moves judged on live TV?
“I don't think I've ever seen the judges be particularly personal or unfair. And listen, if you can survive Paul Hollywood, you can survive Craig Revel Horwood.
“It will be a bit weird to be judged by Anton because we have been colleagues for three years now. But again, you know, I really respect the guy. And she's such a beautiful human being and I think he'll be fair. He better be fair, because I still work with him.”
We can’t think of many things more nerve wracking than dancing on Strictly in front of the judges, and that’s without considering how many people are watching from home! As John is someone who struggles with anxiety, we wondered how he plans to combat those Strictly nerves!
“My trick, if I feel anxious, is to just look at pictures of my dog. Because if I wake up in the night with anxiety, which I often do, I get my dog on my bed and stroking him just calms me down. So I'm just gonna think about my dog. Luckily my partner and my dog are moving down to London with me. So we're all going to be together in our bubble.”
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