John Whaite is desperate to win Strictly, but a body language expert says he might be hiding a hidden fear of losing the competition.
The TV chef certainly knows a thing or two about winning a televised competition, because he won The Great British Bake Off in 2012.
He’s demonstrated his impressive dancing skills week after week on the BBC One dancing show, bagging tons of points from the judges with his dance partner, Johannes Radebe.
John’s already made history on the show too, because him and Johannes have become Strictly’s first ever all-male dancing partnership.
Daily Star spoke to body language expert Inbaal Honigman, who offered her exclusive insight into the celeb.
(Image: BBC)
Inbaal took a closer look at the star through his physical behaviour – including his facial expressions, body posture, and other movements.
Firstly, Inbaal said that John exhibits himself as a confident performer when he smiles, stretches out his shoulders and “claims his space” on the dancefloor.
However, John appears to “lapse into anxiety” when it comes to the judges scores, and this is clear in some tell-tale signs.
She said: “He claims his space on the dance floor, as a performer in his own right – and his steps and Johannes’s match so nicely, that at times you’d be forgiven for mistaking this illustrious TV chef and baker for a real-life professional dancer.
(Image: PA)
“So often does his body language scream ‘confidence!’, in his broad smile, in his stretched shoulders, that it is a shock to see him lapse into anxiety when the scores are announced.
“This is when we get to see the clasped hands, the covered mouth, that reveal that underneath it all, this very accomplished high-achiever is not as invincible as he usually appears.”
Digging deeper into the star’s psyche, Inbaal explained that John is a “high achiever by nature” and walks confidently like a man “accustomed to success”.
But beneath the surface, he might be afraid of losing, and it’s all clear in his eyes which may reveal the “hidden truth”.
(Image: ITV)
She went on: “John is a high achiever by nature – but what really drives him? What causes him to keep pushing forward?
“He stands tall, he walks confidently, like a man accustomed to success. He is not afraid to take up space, letting his muscular frame do the talking.
“However, his unwavering gaze shows how he never loses focus, and those wide eyes may betray a hidden truth – that he is anxious about coming second.
“Sometimes people are winners because they love to win. Some, because they’re afraid to lose.”
(Image: BBC / Guy Levy)
Inbaal added: “The dissonance between John’s bright and happy smile, and his direct, serious eyes, shows that he has every intention of embracing that glitterball!”
The expert believes that John means business as he performs on the show, and maybe even a point or two to prove.
She commented: “Even though Johannes is the pro, so many photos of the pairing show John standing his full height, chest strong, arms powerful, showing that he might have come on the show to learn, but he’s got a thing or two to teach, too.”
According to Inbaal, John and Johannes have been forming a life-long friendship – and you can see it in the way they interact with one another.
(Image: BBC)
She added: “When John throws a confident, posed selfie, Johannes poses along with him. When John wells up talking to the judges, Johannes responds in a reassuring cuddle.
“They support each other fully, with their personalities and with their body language.
“A professional through and through, Johannes completes the picture, however John sets the scene.
They’re forging a friendship that will last a lifetime.”
To see more of Inbaal’s work, you can check out her website here.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
