Yahoo Finance Strictly Come Dancing: John Whaite And Johannes Radebe's Tango Gets The Thumbs Up From Viewers
John Whaite and Johannes Radebe made their long-awaited debut on the Strictly Come Dancing floor during Saturday night’s show… and didn’t they do an excellent job?
The Great British Bake Off winner and his professional partner are the first pairing made up of two male dancers to ever compete in the long-running BBC series.
During Saturday night’s live show, they delivered their first routine of the new season, performing an intense Tango to Blue Monday by New Order.
The two took to the floor in matching black tuxedos, and won over the judges, who gave them an impressive 30 points of a possible 40.
John and Johannes’ score put them in joint second place on the leaderboard on the night, alongside Olympian Adam Peaty and his partner Katya Jones.
The pair also received glowing reviews from those watching along on social media:
Just stunning, chills
Obviously very glad and grateful this has happened now, but think of all the dances like this we’ve missed over the years, the show didn’t implode, hellfire did not rain down, it really was that simple https://t.co/E4fnYUGx0l— Dan✨ (@danwardle) September 25, 2021
And I cried at John and Johannes of course I did. #strictly
— Stephen Leng (@steveleng) September 25, 2021
God, Johannes and John doing the tango and both looking that HOT. What a moment #strictly
— Emma Kelly (@TooManyEmmas) September 25, 2021
I'm so happy for Johannes, the most beautiful beacon of LGBTQ light on the show for years #strictly
— Emma Kelly (@TooManyEmmas) September 25, 2021
John and Johannes making history on Strictly is making me emotional. Representation is so so so so so important #Strictly
— Cydney Yeates (@cydneyyeates) September 25, 2021
When I was growing up, pretty much the only identifiable gay I saw on TV was John Inman in Are You Being Served.
This is wonderful.
Thank you John and Johannes @jojo_radebe.#StrictlyComeDancingpic.twitter.com/OgiCnPqlCQ— Matthew Hodson (@Matthew_Hodson) September 25, 2021
don't mean to be dramatic but seeing john and johannes on strictly! is just! i remember watching it every year as a child never thinking i'd be allowed to join in because i'd want to dance with a man and to see this!!!! over the moon tbh #Strictly
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) September 25, 2021
In 2004, at the age of 14, I felt oddly represented by Julian Clary being openly out on strictly. Tonight I hope that same feeling is with someone else that age or younger and is more than heightened watching John & Johannes ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤 #Strictly#SCDpic.twitter.com/7NnJXwbG2j
— Dan Ellis (@dgellis0907) September 25, 2021
John and Jojo, me boys 🥺💕 #Strictly
— David Chipakupaku 🏴🇿🇲 (@David_Chippa) September 25, 2021
The message John and Johannes are sending out to the world, the example they are setting, is so much bigger than #Strictly What they’re doing for the queer youth watching at home, particularly queer youth of colour, is just phenomenal. I’m just beaming 🥺🥰
— ᴊᴀᴄᴋ 👑 ✨ (@JackDMurphy) September 25, 2021
Just straight up crying
— Tom #blacklivesmatter (@tomilo) September 25, 2021
Phenomenal dance. Historic moment. Gorgeous. 😭 🌈 #Strictly
— Tom #blacklivesmatter (@tomilo) September 25, 2021
😭😭😭🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 https://t.co/3oB55HSJ49
— Lukus (@LukiKnowsBest) September 25, 2021
I feel so emotional seeing John and Johannes dancing 🥺❤️ #Strictly
— kiramadeira 🤔 (@kiramadeira) September 25, 2021
Loved it! Johannes is 🔥 and so lovely to see the other celebrities being so supportive of the first male same-sex pairing with a standing ovation. Representation on prime time matters still. #Strictly
— Calum. (@CalumS1991) September 25, 2021
I got tingles then, they were so good. John and Johannes FOR THE WIN #Strictly
— Corey Kitchener (@CoreyKitchener) September 25, 2021
This may well be a first but all we ask for is that ONE little boy who knows he’s different, watches John and Johannes and thinks ‘cool’
Representation is life affirming #Strictlypic.twitter.com/U4NKNUDLwF— ohchrissavidge (@ohchrissavidge) September 25, 2021
And they looked that they might actually have sex - which is soooo very important when we usually get wishy washy, passionless “same sex besties” stuff on prime time! #Strictlyhttps://t.co/R4BswLCT1D
— Rob Holley (@robholley) September 25, 2021
John and Johannes also got the seal of approval from celebrities including Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins, who previously competed as part of Dancing On Ice’s first ever same-sex partnership.
YESSS @bbcstrictly !! Equality Matters!! Well done @jojo_radebe & John!!! #RepresentationMatters#Strictly#Equality#SameSexDancing
— Ian H Watkins (@Ianhwatkins) September 25, 2021
I’m crying! I’ve watched it again! WHAT A MOMENT! @jojo_radebe & #JohnWaite are ON FIRE! THAT is how you do it! @bbcstrictly#Strictly
— Ian H Watkins (@Ianhwatkins) September 25, 2021
This was a moment. Felt so incredible to watch them perform this live. John and Johannes, you smashed this 😍 https://t.co/HUUGmNkaGx
— Tom Fletcher (@TomFletcher) September 26, 2021
YES JOHN!!!! AND JOHANNES!!
Smashed it ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rYODfMIQJX— Steph McGovern (@StephLunch) September 25, 2021
However, the top performance of the night came from TV presenter AJ Odudu and her partner Kai Widdrington, who is making his Strictly debut in 2021.
The two landed not just the highest score of the night for their Jive routine, but the highest score for any week one performance since 2005.
At the end of Saturday night’s show, there was no public vote, with all 15 of the celebrities making it through to next week, after which viewers will help determine the two stars who end up in the first dance-off of the series.
Find out how the cast gets on when Strictly returns to our screens on Saturday night at 6.45pm.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.
