The couple were the first same-sex couple on the BBC show(Picture: PA)
Strictly Come Dancing star John Whaite has confessed he almost succumbed to the curse after falling for his dance partner Johannes Radebe.
The Great British Bake Off winner, 34, said he ‘fell in love’ with Johannes, 36, after they became the first same-sex couple on the BBC ballroom show in 2021, finishing in second place after Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice.
John, who was in a relationship with long-term partner Paul Atkins at the time, admitted: ‘I fell in love with him. Ican’t speak for him – because I’m not allowed to, legally – but it felt like there was love there.
He continued: ‘So yes, I fell in love with Johannes. I still love Johannes. Of course I do.’
The baker said he told Paul, a graphic designer, about his feelings toward Johannes which resulted in them agreeing on some ‘time apart’, which John said he spent ‘sat on the patio, drinking bottle after bottle of sauvignon blanc.’
The couple, who are now engaged, eventually reconciled, with John telling The Times: ‘I look at Paul and what he’s put up with over the years and how he’s nurtured me and stood by me, and who would throw that away? I couldn’t.’
John said he ‘fell in love’ with Johannes after being paired together (Picture: BBC)
John told his partner about his feeling towards Johannes (Picture: BBC)
John said he still speaks to Johannes occasionally but would cut contact if it became ‘tricky’ for Paul.
The Strictly curse refers to celebrity contestants and professional dance partners striking up a romance while either or both are in a relationship.
A couple of years ago, Strictly Come Dancing co-presenter Claudia Winkleman shared her views on the curse, telling Digital Spy: ‘I understand, it’s very intense. I don’t believe in the curse, but I think lots of people have come in single and they might have met somebody or had a little romance.’
John won Bake Off more than a decade ago(Picture: BBC)
He and Johannes finished in second place on Strictly (Picture: WireImage)
She continued, stating: ‘It’s intoxicating, Strictly, because you’re all part of this extraordinary juggernaut. So I don’t think people fall in love with people, they might just love the experience.’
One of the most significant cases of the Strictly curse of recent years occurred in 2018, when comedian Seann Walsh was photographed kissing his professional partner Katya Jones.
Katya was married to fellow dancer Neil Jones at the time, while Seann was in a relationship with actor Rebecca Humphries.
Stacey and Kevin got together after being partnered on Strictly (Picture: Getty Images)
Former Strictly partners Rachel and Pasha are now married and parents (Picture: Getty)
In 2018, television presenter Stacey Dooley won the sixteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing with her partner, Kevin Clifton, and confirmed they were in a relationship the following year.
Stacey, who was in a relationship with Sam Tucknott at the time, has denied she and Kevin became romantically involved while taking part in the competition, stating: ‘It was much later down the line for us.’
In November 2013, Countdown star Rachel Riley announced that she was separating from her husband Jamie Gilbert, who she met at university.
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Later that year, she and her Strictly dance partner Pasha Kovalev started dating, and are now married and have two children.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC and iPlayer later this year.
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They still speak occasionally.