John Whaite says he has ‘QUIT TV for good’ as he reveals why he is leaving the industry – after admitting he fell for Strictly pro Johannes Radebe

John Whaite has revealed he has quit the TV industry in the wake of the news that Steph’s Packed Lunch has been axed after three years on air.

The Bake Off star, 34, who appears as the show’s resident chef, reacted to the ‘deeply sad news’ that the programme is being taken off air.

John insisted he planned to ‘leave TV this year anyway’ and said that was the reason for his absence from the show over the past few weeks.

The TV personality’s admission comes after he revealed he ‘fell’ for his Strictly Come Dancing pro partner Johannes Radebe while filming the show in 2021.

The former Strictly contestant, who is engaged to fiancé Paul Atkins, admitted the decision to pull the show made no difference to him as he plans to focus on his ‘business and creativity’.

Time to move on! John Whaite has revealed he has quit the TV industry in the wake of the news that Steph’s Packed Lunch has been axed after three years on air

‘Deeply sad’: The Bake Off star, 34, who appeared at the show’s resident chef, reacted to the ‘deeply sad news’ that the programme is being taken off air

In a clip posted to Instagram, he said: ‘This is the truth, I was going to leave TV this year anyway. That’s why I’ve been off Packed Lunch for a couple of weeks just to get my head in the gear and I just came to the conclusion that I think my career in television is now done. I’ve had a great run and loved it.’

He continued: ‘I’ll do the odd bit here and there but I need to focus my attention now on business and on my creativity, so that’s where I am.’

John said: ‘If you’re going to think about anybody and give best wishes to anybody, please think of the Packed Lunch team.’

John paid tribute to the show with a social media post which included a gallery of photographs from his time on the programme. 

He wrote: ‘Breaking my little insta-pause to post about this. I’m sure you’ve read the deeply sad news that Steph’s Packed Lunch will not be returning after December. 

‘I want to shout, as loud as possible, about how brilliant the team have been. The eclectic mix of folk from a hodgepodge of backgrounds and generations worked tirelessly to try to keep the integrity of a 100-year-old industry alive, and bring lunchtime entertainment and company to many a household.

‘What they created was a show that was as diverse as it was welcoming, and I hope each and every one of them continue to thrive wherever the wind next takes them, because they deserve nothing but success.

‘The food team – Courtney, Sarah and the talented home economists – have been a lifeline to me on so many occasions, and it’s been an honour to work with them (and the rest of the production and editorial teams) for the past 3 years.

Candid: The TV personality’s admission comes after he revealed he ‘fell’ for his Strictly Come Dancing pro partner Johannes Radebe while filming the show in 2021

New plans: The former Strictly contestant, who is engaged to fiancé Paul Atkins, admitted the decision to pull the show made no difference to him as he plans to focus on his ‘business and creativity’ (pictured recently)

‘And finally I hope that Steph, Vivek, Matt and all the people at the top feel nothing but immense pride for creating a ground-breaking, inclusive show.

‘It has been an honour and a privilege to be a small part of Steph’s Packed Lunch. In many tiny ways, it changed my life.’

During his time on the show, John memorably presented a cooking item in the nude – wearing just an apron to cover his modesty.  

The show’s host Steph was previously a member of the BBC Breakfast Show, but left to front her own self-titled show. Steph has not broken her silence on the show’s axe.

A source said: ‘This decision has come totally out of the blue; Steph’s Packed Lunch has been going from strength to strength, and has an incredibly loyal fanbase.

Sweet: John paid tribute to the show with a social media post which included a gallery of photographs from his time on the programme

He wrote: ‘Breaking my little insta-pause to post about this. I’m sure you’ve read the deeply sad news that Steph’s Packed Lunch will not be returning after December’

‘It feels like Channel 4 are shooting themselves in the foot with this one – citing the need to do less live programming in order to go toe to toe with Netflix et al. It’s nonsense.’

John made headlines over the summer when he revealed he fell for his dance partner Johannes Radebe during his stint on Strictly Come Dancing.

He was partnered with the professional dancer, 36, during the 2021 series and said he almost fell victim to the show’s famous curse.

They were the first ever male same-sex pairing on the show and made it to the final two, before being beaten by Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice. 

In a candid interview with The Times, John told how he ‘fell in love’ with Johannes while engaged to his partner of 15 years Paul Atkins.

He said the couple ‘spent some time apart’ after he opened up about his feelings towards the South African dancer.

Confession: In a candid interview with The Times, John told how he ‘fell in love’ with Johannes while engaged to his partner of 15 years Paul Atkins (John and Paul pictured)

Relationship: He was partnered with the professional dancer, 36, during the 2021 series and said he almost fell victim to the show’s famous curse 

In extracts of his upcoming memoir, Dancing on Eggshells, obtained by The Sun, John details the depth of his feelings for Johannes.

He describes feeling a ‘sense of loss’ after Strictly finished as he would no longer get to see Johannes every day and expressed wanting ‘to be close to him’.

He said: ‘After that final dance, I hung up my clothes for the last time. I felt a sense of loss.

‘Not because the competition was over, I was knackered and ready for a break, but because I wouldn’t get to see Johannes every single day.

‘I watched him as he sat on the window sill of the dressing room drinking a glass of champagne, still sparkling in his bright white show dance outfit. 

‘I was jealous of the sweat beads as they shimmered on his beautiful skin. I wanted to be close to him… We hugged goodbye, I didn’t want to let go.’

Speaking about the infamous Strictly curse, John added: ‘Johannes knew that [the curse] could happen. He had seen it a thousand times with his dance companions over the years.

‘When you are physically pressed against another man for ten hours a day, things move emotionally… He was being cautious. Strictly has a magical way of revealing the truth.’

Falling for him: In extracts of his upcoming memoir, Dancing on Eggshells, obtained by The Sun, John details the depth of his feelings for Johannes

Bond: He describes feeling a ‘sense of loss’ after Strictly finished as he would no longer get to see Johannes every day and expressed wanting ‘to be close to him’

Discussing his relationship with his fiancé in the aftermath, he recalled: ‘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.’

However, John has said the couple managed to put the issue behind them as they didn’t want to throw away the history they had together. 

MailOnline has reached out to Johannes Radebe’s representatives for comment.

John previously admitted he ‘still loves’ Johannes but said he believes being in regular contact would be disrespectful to his partner.

He said: ‘I still love him, of course I do. I can’t speak for him – because I’m not allowed to, legally – but it felt like there was love there.

‘We had such similar stories growing up – the homophobia, the bullying, coming out, coming to terms with our sexuality – as any queer kid would.’

Tested: John and Paul ‘spent some time apart’ after he opened up about his feelings towards the South African dancer, but have managed to put the issue behind them

Complicated: John previously admitted he ‘still loves’ Johannes but said he believes being in regular contact would be disrespectful to his partner

John confessed that while he and Johannes still speak now and again, he would be willing to end their friendship if Paul began to struggle with it.

He said: ‘I love him to bits and I worship the ground he walks on, but I have to be mindful that there’s more than my own desires to consider here and if it would be tricky for Paul for me to be in contact with Johannes, then it’s a sacrifice that I have to make.’

In addition to the revelations about Johannes, John told how he was not always faithful to Paul after winning Bake Off in 2012 and being catapulted to fame. 

He said that there were ‘drunken fondles and experiments with various soap stars and celebrities’ at the time – when he had been with Paul for five years already. 

John added that he ‘tested the boundaries’ of their relationship after getting ‘somewhat swept away with it all’.

He told how the fame was unexpected and saw him lavished with ‘freebies, champagne hampers, meals out, holidays, red carpets, parties and a six-figure book deal.

After rekindling their romance, last summer John shared a loved-up post dedicated to Paul, detailing their ‘complicated’ relationship.

The caption read: ‘Relationships are complicated – the ones we have with ourselves, and those that we share with others.

Infidelity: In addition to the revelations about Johannes, John told how he was not always faithful to Paul after winning Bake Off in 2012 and being catapulted to fame

‘They aren’t a blissful merging of freedoms, but rather a complicated sharing of experiences, both joyous and painful. 

‘We learn more about ourselves on a daily – if not hourly – basis, and we grow from those lessons.’

John continued: ‘After 14 years I’m blessed to have this man in my life, and how we define what we have is ours alone. 

‘So do enjoy the work we both share publicly, but please respect that we all have a sacred and precious right to privacy.’

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