STRICTLY HUNKY!
Meet show’s new male dancers (who flash even more flesh than the ladies … )
IF these pictures are anything to go by, the partners of this year’s contestants may have more reason than most to fret about the ‘Strictly curse’.
Along with the usual array of scantily clad female dancers, these two musclebound international hunks are certain to set pulses racing when they join the ranks of Strictly Come Dancing’s professionals this autumn.
Among the three fresh faces on the increasingly cosmopolitan BBC show is Johannes Radebe, a former professional on the equivalent of Strictly in his native South Africa. The 31yearold is not shy about bearing his ripped chest, regularly posting pictures of himself on social media stripped down to his swimwear. He will be joined by Sicilyborn Graziano Di Prima, 24, an Italian Latin champion.
But admirers swooning over Di Prima’s tousled locks and toned torso will be disappointed to learn he is spoken for and often pictured alongside his stunning dancer girlfriend Giada Lini.
The men said it was an ‘honour’ and a ‘dream come true’ to join the show. Meanwhile, adding glamour to the female lineup is Russian Luba Mushtuk, 28, who is already familiar with the Strictly cohort having performed in its live tours. She has been romantically linked with Giovanni Pernice, a Strictly professional who partnered Debbie McGee in the last series.
The fourtime Italian dance champion, who said she was ‘thrilled’ to join the ‘greatest show on earth’, frequently updates her Instagram with photos of herself in provocative outfits. The glam orous trio’s arrivals could raise the prospect of the ‘Strictly curse’ – where contestants in relationships end up romantically involved with their dance partners – rearing its head once more.
The new dancers have been brought in to replace Brendan Cole, 42, who was controversially axed after 14 series in January, and Chloe Hewitt, 22, when Strictly returns later this year. The changes mean that of this year’s 18strong professional lineup – the biggest in the show’s history – only five are from the UK.
Former head judge Len Goodman, 74, has previously said he fears Strictly could lose its British identity if it continues to employ dancers mostly from overseas.
It is not clear how many dancers will be paired with celebrities but the BBC said contestants ‘are going to have to work harder than ever to keep up with our biggest and best professional lineup yet’.