Strictly Come Dancing finalist John Whaite has officially tied the knot with his partner Paul Atkins in a “simple and perfect” ceremony in the heart of New York.
The Great British Bake Off winner – who fell victim to the famous ballroom curse back in 2021 – took to Instagram to share the joyous news with his loyal legion of fans. The 34-year-old shared a selection of loved up snaps of the happy couple from their special day online.
They could be seen walking through the streets of Manhattan together, with the TV presenter embracing his Scottish heritage by wearing a kilt and a sporran. He completed the look with a black roll neck jumper and a leather jacket.
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His husband opted for a pair of black skinny jeans which he teamed with a matching button-down shirt and matching leather jacket. He could be seen wearing a black beanie hat and pinned a white rose on the lapel of his jacket as they shared a loving embrace.
(Image: Getty Images)
John captioned the memorable post: “Our big day in the Big Apple. Mr & Mr. No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family.
“In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death.”
He went on: “It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfilment for themselves.
(Image: Instagram)
“Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, exclude from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right. Justice Anthony Kennedy, 2015.”
It didn’t take long before his famous friends and loyal legion of fans showered the happy couple with congratulatory messages immediately after posting. Steph McGovern gushed: “Amazing! Congratulations [four heart emojis]” as Alan Carr echoed: “Congratulations [three heart emojis].”
Sara Davies chimed in with: “Awwwww huge congrats to both of you” as his former professional dance partner Johannes Rabede penned: “Massive Congratulations” which he signed with three kisses.
(Image: john_whaite/Instagram)
John later added: “Thank you, each and every one of you, for your kind wishes. It was a simple and perfect day.” John and the ballroom dancer, 36, were part of the first-ever male same-sex pairing on Strictly in 2021.
After they reached the final and the show came to an end, John briefly split from Paul. He later admitted that the Strictly curse had struck, and had made him question his relationship with Paul.
John wrote in his memoir, Dancing on Eggshells: “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 anymore.
(Image: Instagram)
“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.”
Johannes also confessed his “love” for the GBBO winner in a candid interview on the podcast Reign with Josh Smith. He said at the time: “I have fallen in love with my art form again because of John.
“The opportunity to be so creative with what we had to come up with every week. I was trying to figure things out as I was going along.
(Image: PA)
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“Not once did he make me feel otherwise. In my moments of doubt, John just stood by me and waited for me to figure it all out. And I can’t tell you that patience, I’m in love with the man.”
He went on: “I know he’s a married man – soon to be – but let me tell you something. People come into your life and you just don’t know how you’ve been doing without them this entire time.
And that has been John for me, a really, really lovely lad. I can’t tell you, he’s the nicest person you’re ever gonna meet in your whole entire life.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
