John Whaite will live life by 'Johannes-isms' after 'Strictly' (exclusive)
Watch: John Whaite talks to Yahoo about his Strictly dance partner Johannes
John Whaite has said he plans to live life by the "Johannes-isms" he's learned from his dance partner after Strictly Come Dancing ends.
The former Bake Off winner dances with Johannes Radebe in the BBC One show and said he had learned some valuable life lessons from his partner.
He said: "It's so much more than a dance competition, it's a journey and I hate that word because it's so cheesy, but it really is.
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"They're life lessons, Johannes has taught me things that I'll carry through into everyday life and use them as mantras and have a little pocketbook of Johannes-isms, I think."
Talking about the huge support that the pair has from viewers, Whaite said: "It's so easy with Strictly to fall into that trap of external validation, so we try to concentrate on how we feel with each other.
"People say such lovely things all the time but one of my mechanisms to cope with life after Strictly is to go 'that's very nice' but all the excitement belongs to the ballroom and the glitterball and what really matters to me is how Johannes and I spend time together and create these beautiful moments that will hopefully go down in history."
He added: "The most beautiful moment is when the song finishes and the audience is on their feet and we just hug each other, and in amongst all the madness it's just silence between us because we have that connection.
"That's what I think I'll remember from this is just being with someone for 90 seconds and devoting yourself entirely to them, for that 90 seconds it's really intense. Although there are millions of eyes watching, we feel untouchable as a partnership.
"That's the biggest thing Johannes has taught me, to have that confidence, that self belief and put yourself in a very vulnerable position where you don't give a damn what people think."
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Whaite and Radebe have been praised for being the first all-male couple in the show, but they admitted they had not had time to let the momentousness of their position sink in.
The baker said: "I don't think we will until we finish. I've booked a little cabin in Scotland for me and my partner and our dog over Christmas and I think I'll be sat there with my dances on repeat and a glass of champagne like some old Hollywood starlet going, 'that was me, look how fabulous I was'."
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One.
Watch: Who is Strictly's John Whaite?
