Great British Bake Off star John Whaite is set to take to the dancefloor on Strictly, two years after criticising the BBC's after-care for contestants.
It was announced on Thursday morning that the TV chef, 33, would be one of the stars of this year's show, nine years on from his triumph on Great British Bake Off, which sadly led to a host of mental health battles.
In 2019, John penned a piece for The Telegraph, in which he called for 'serious reform' into how stars of shows are prepared for life after TV, as he himself fell into financial woes, 'dried-up' work and began drinking excessively.
He referenced the suicides of ITV's Love Island stars Caroline Flack, Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon, whose deaths sparked concerns over how stars are prepared for post-show life - and insisted BBC needed to do more to improve their own care.
Back: Great British Bake Off star John Whaite is set to take to the dancefloor on Strictly, two years after criticising the BBC's after-care for contestants
On Thursday, the fourth Strictly Come Dancing star was revealed as John, who will be one-half of the show's first all-male partnership.
After much controversy during the show's 17 year run over the prospect of a same-sex pairing, Strictly is finally addressing the call for change with John delightedly praising the 'great step forward in representation and inclusion'.
He said: 'What's exciting for me, is that I'm going to be one half of the first all-male partnership, which is a great step forward in representation and inclusion.'
His history-making turn on the show comes two years after he lifted the lid on how he struggled with post Bake Off-life.
Tough: In 2019, John penned a piece for The Telegraph, in which he called for 'serious reform' into how stars of shows are prepared for life after TV, as he himself fell into financial woes, 'dried-up' work and began drinking excessively (John pictured in 2012)
John
