John Whaite to make history in first all-male partnership as he joins Strictly 2021 line-up

From Bake Off to Ballroom!

Helen Daly

Published: Thursday, 5 August 2021 at 8:53 am

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Star of The Great British Bake Off, John Whaite has been revealed as the fourth celebrity in the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 line-up.

Whaite was announced on the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show by current GBBO host Matt Lucas.

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He is the fourth in the growing line-up which also includes Robert Webb, Tom Fletcher and AJ Odudu, with more names set to be announced throughout the day.

And it has also been revealed that Whaite will be part of the second ever same-sex couple on Strictly – and the first all-male partnership.

Speaking about joining the Strictly line-up, Whaite said: "I’m so grateful, excited, and nervous to be joining the Strictly 2021 family.

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"I’ve been wearing sequins and jazzy attire since I was three years old and can’t wait to hurl myself, full throttle, around the most glamorous dance floor on earth.

"What’s more exciting for me, is that I’m going to be one half of the first all-male partnership, which is a great step forward in representation and inclusion.

"Whoever it is I’m paired with, I hope they are up for a challenge as I want our routines to include lots of spectacular lifts!”

Whaite won the third ever series of Bake Off in 2012 when he was just 23 years old, and has been a regular face on the small screen ever since including regular cooking slots on Lorraine and more recently Steph's Packed Lunch.

He was also a presenter of the ITV daytime cookery show Chopping Block, which aired in 2016 and 2017, while he has released four cookery books since his Bake Off win.

Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One later this year. Want something else to watch? Check out our full TV Guide. Visit our Entertainment hub for all the latest news.