These Strictly pros are reportedly in the running to partner John Whaite in first male same-sex couple

Words: Alastair James; pictures: YouTube

Male pro dancers on Strictly Come Dancing’s are practically leaping over one another to be a part of the show’s first male same-sex couple, according to reports.

Last week, it was announced that The Great British Bake Off’s 2012 winner John Waite would be the celebrity taking part in the show’s first all-male couple, but with no confirmation on who he may be partnered with.

However, fresh reports suggest he’s likely to be paired with one of the show’s new professionals, Kai Widdrington.

“Kai fits the bills perfectly”

As reported by The Sun, the pairings for any of the couples are still undecided, but there has been a scramble to be partnered with Waite, who measures up at 6ft. 2”.

The Sun reports that seasoned pros such as Johannes Radebe, who is gay, and Aljaž Škorjanec, who is straight and was partnered with Radio 1’s Clara Amfo in the last series, were expecting to be paired with the baker.

A source has told the paper: “Producers are keen to pair up John with the right dancer and that means ensuring he has someone of a similar height – and Kai fits the bills perfectly.

“Kai also has experience of being in a same-sex pairing as last year he was coupled with Big Brother star Brian Dowling on Ireland’s version of Strictly.

“But there’ll be disappointment felt, in particular, by Johannes and Graziano as two years ago they blazed a trail by performing the show’s first all-male dance routine on the show.”

Kai Widdrington was announced in July as one of the new professionals joining the show alongside Jowita Przystal, Nikita Kuzmin, and Cameron Lombard.

Speaking to Matt Lucas on BBC Radio 2 about his inclusion on the show John Waite said: “When they asked me if I’d be interested, I just bit their hand off because I thought, to do that and represent the LGBTQ+ community is one thing, but also just to see two men or two women dancing together, it’s not necessarily about sexuality, it’s just about intimacy and respect.”

From rum baba to the Rumba, all rise for star baker and now future #Strictly star John Whaite! 🕺

👉 https://t.co/8UDTG1YUUc pic.twitter.com/D68fZSGlQL

— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) August 5, 2021

“And I think that’s going to be such a great thing in our culture, where men are sort of conditioned not to open up and not to be emotional. I think it might help to combat that. So I’m excited on so many levels to be doing the first all-male partnership.”

He added: “I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet and I don’t think it will until I find out who I’m actually dancing with.”

Last year, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams and professional Katya Jones became the first same-sex couple to compete on the show, but sadly had to pull out of the competition after Katya tested positive for coronavirus.

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