Strictly Come Dancing‘s Johannes Radebe is having his life story turned into a ‘uplifting’ family film.
The popular dancer, who rose to international popularity after joining the hit BBC dancing show in 2018, will write his biography JoJo: Finally Home in 2023.
Johannes, a South African, made the book a best-seller, and his own writing will serve as the foundation for the next film.
The 36-year-old, battled homophobia, bullying, and poverty to build a reputation for himself on the ballroom scene, first winning amateur and professional championships in his native country before appearing on its version of Strictly in 2014 and the famous touring stage play Burn The Floor.
In 2021, he and John Whaite become the first all-male partnership on the British Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice finished as runners-up on Strictly.
Johannes will also act as executive producer and choreographer for the film, which has a working title of Finally Home. Deadline first reported on this.
It’s being slated as a ‘joyous, funny and ultimately upbeat film packed with heart, great music, wonderful costumes and big dance numbers – in a similar vein to popular films such as Strictly Ballroom, The Fully Monty, Then We Danced and Billy Elliot’.
Finally Home will be produced by Anthony Kimble and Helena Spring through Arrested Industries and Helena Spring Films, the same companies that produced award-winning Poppie Nongena and the Oscar-nominated Yesterday.
‘Growing up gay in the townships of South Africa was not an easy ride, but there were so many good things about my life there, and it has made me the person I am today,’ commented Johannes, who previously worked as movement director on last year’s flick Pretty Red Dress, as the news was announced.
‘I never imagined my story would end up on the big screen, so I am greatly appreciative of this new opportunity and look forward to working closely with Helena and Anthony over the coming months.’
Finally Home will closely follow the book, in which the dancer and choreographer described growing up in Zamdela, a South African township, as a young kid with a passion for dancing – and Barbies – while everyone else was playing football or rugby.
Johannes was up in poverty, losing his father as a youngster and facing prejudice from his community until his hard work and the unwavering love of his mother, sister, and dance coach changed his life.
According to The Guardian, as a young adolescent, he came to Johannesburg to learn, eventually becoming a dance instructor who made so little that he couldn’t afford to pay rent and had to sleep overnight in the studio or in the back of cabs.
In the same interview, he expressed concerns about getting booted out of the country after suffering on the Life in the UK test.
People who seek for British citizenship or wish to live in the UK are normally required to take the exam. Each try costs £50 and must be taken at an authorised facility. To succeed, applicants must answer 18 of 24 multiple-choice questions on living in Britain in 45 minutes.
He passed but wasn’t quite convinced when he finished, confessing with a smirk, ‘I went out of there thinking I might be deported.’
In the most current season of Strictly, JoJo forged a popular partnership with former tennis star Annabel Croft, who was competing in memory of her late husband.
The couple finished in fourth place.
