Strictly Come Dancing star Johannes Radebe has opened up about a homophobic attack he experienced as a child while living in South Africa.
The 32-year-old made his debut on this year’s series of the BBC show alongside Coronation Street actor Catherine Tyldesley.
But while Radebe has been welcomed by fans of the show and his co-stars, he hasn’t always found it easy to fit in.
Growing up in South Africa, Radebe has revealed he was bullied at school because of his sexuality, recalling one specific incident that saw a pupil attack him with a baseball bat.
“I was terrified. All I can remember was asking, ‘What have I done? What did I do to you?’” Radebe told The Sun.
“He said, ‘Well, you’re a f***** and disgusting’.
“We ended up physically fighting because when somebody comes at you with a baseball bat, I don’t think you can just stand there.
“He was not a fan of me — he was punishing me for the fact that I am what I am. The bullying was tough. There were times when I did not feel like leaving the house because I thought to myself, ‘What’s the point if I’m going be hassled?’”
The dancing champion, who started to learn ballroom at the age of nine, urged anyone who is experiencing bullying to “hold out”.
“To those out there trying to make something of their life and who are being bullied or feel they can’t be themselves, my message to them is, it gets better,” Radebe said.
“You get older, you take charge of who you are and nobody will ever tell you who to be. Just hold out.”
Radebe added that appearing on Strictly Come Dancing has given him courage to be himself.
“I grew up in a country where homosexuality was frowned upon,” Radebe said.
“The society around me pointed to me and said, ‘There’s something wrong with you,’ but Strictly has helped me be a better person and accepting of myself.
“When I got to the UK it was beautiful, for the first time in my life I felt liberated.”
On Sunday, Radebe and Tyldesley left the competition after losing out to BBC Breakfast’s Mike Bushell in the dance-off.
When asked by host Tess Daly about her time on the show, Tyldesley paid tribute to Radebe, calling him her “best friend”.
“The opportunity to work with amazing people and get critiqued off amazing people,” she said.
“I never thought I’d say this, I’m going to keep it up because I fell in love with it! I’ve loved every second, this man has changed my life!”
This weekend, Radebe will return to Strictly Come Dancing to perform a same-sex routine with fellow professional Graziano di Prima.
Speaking of the upcoming performance, Radebe said he is “proud” to be a part of what will likely be a defining moment for the show.
“Am I proud to be a part of that? Absolutely,” he said.
“I’m happy to be a trailblazer. It will be one of the moments where we all sit back and go, ‘This is what we’ve been waiting for’."
