Johannes Radebe was the target of horrific homophobic bullying as a teenager.
The Strictly Come Dancing star lives as an out and proud gay man now, but that opportunity wasn’t always available to him.
Johannes was raised in South Africa, where attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people are more negative than they are in the UK.
While the country was the first in the world to outlaw discrimination against gay people, many outside of its major cities still face horrific abuse.
Johannes Radebe opens up about homophobic abuse
In an interview in 2019 with The Sun, Johannes said he was targeted because of his sexuality while at school.
The Celebrity MasterChef star recalled a terrifying incident where a teenager approached him with a baseball bat.
“This happened in school, a fellow pupil. I was terrified. All I can remember was asking: ‘What have I done? What did I do to you?’ He said: ‘Well, you’re a [bleep] and disgusting’.
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“We ended up physically fighting because when somebody comes at you with a baseball bat, I don’t think you can just stand there.
“It was jealousy — I was never there at school as I was usually away dancing in competitions. He was not a fan of me — he was punishing me for the fact that I am what I am,” he added.
Johannes says abuse made him more determined
The dancer said he didn’t let the abuse get to him and, in fact, it made him stronger.
He told he Gay Times that it’s crucial people remember gay people still face torment, even here in the UK.
“I want to live in a world where we wouldn’t have to explain ourselves anymore or feel like we aren’t safe or have a voice.
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“I’m black, I come from where I come from and I’ve had it hard. It’s not just happening in Africa, it’s happening everywhere, even in this country. A first world country and you’ve still got issues.
“I want to be a light for that,” he added.
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