CURSE REVERSE
Strictly star reveals he’s secretly married partner after 16yrs together and admitting he ‘fell in love with’ pro dancer
The star confessed to falling in love as he came close to winning Strictly
Strictly's John Whaite has revealed he's tied the knot with his partner Paul Atkins in a "simple and perfect" ceremony in New York.
The former Bake Off winner - who fell victim to the Strictly curse in 2021 - took to Instagram to share his happy news with fans.
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John penned next to photos of the couple in the Big Apple: "Our big day in the Big Apple. Mr & Mr.
"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.
"As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage.
"Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions.
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"They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right. Justice Anthony Kennedy, 2015".
John's Strictly pro partner Johannes Radebe responded by writing: "Massive congratulations."
John and South African Johannes, 36, were part of the first-ever male same-sex pairing on Strictly in 2021.
After they reached the final and the show came to an end, John briefly split from Paul.
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I'm in love with the man
Johannes Radebe in 2021
He admitted that the Strictly curse had struck, and had made him question his relationship.
He wrote in his memoir, Dancing on Eggshells: "For a while, Paul and I had to have some time apart. I felt like I didn’t know what I wanted from my existence any more.
"Paul had moved back with his parents and I thought to myself 'What the hell are you doing?' I was making that childhood premonition of growing old alone come true.
"Fourteen years in a solid relationship with a man who loves me unconditionally, a man who would move the earth to make me feel safe and I was p***ing all over it."
Johannes also confessed his "love" for the The Great British Bake Off star in a candid interview on the podcast Reign with Josh Smith.
The professional dancer said at the time: "I have fallen in love with my art form again because of John. The opportunity to be so creative with what we had to come up with every week.
"I was trying to figure things out as I was going along. Not once did he make me feel otherwise. In my moments of doubt, John just stood by me and waited for me to figure it all out. And I can't tell you that patience, I'm in love with the man."
Johannes continued: "I know he's a married man – soon to be – but let me tell you something, people come into your life and you just don't know how you've been doing without them this entire time.
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"And that has been John for me, a really, really lovely lad. I can't tell you, he's the nicest person you’re ever gonna meet in your whole entire life."
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