Dancing on Eggshells: Kitchen, ballroom & the messy inbetween by John Whaite

Dancing on Eggshells: Kitchen, ballroom & the messy inbetween

by John Whaite

Dancing on Eggshells was gifted to me from a Bookstagram friend last year for my Birthday, from my wish list, and I’ve really enjoyed it. It didn’t take me too long to read it, but I am so behind with my reviews. This is the first chance I’ve had.

I remember John winning The Great British Bake off and I also enjoyed watching him dance with JoJo on Strictly Come Dancing. As Soon as he announced this book, I added it to my wish list as I love a good memoir, and I’m always interested to find out more about people we think we know because they’re on telly!

I didn’t realise just how much he has struggled throughout his life. Although, he is genuinely thankful for all the opportunities he’s been able to take advantage of.

This is a very frank and honest account of his life growing up as well as his young adult life including his years in the limelight. There have been many ups and downs, not least the pressure he felt to fit in as a young gay lad.

I love that his Mum ran a chippy when he was growing up. His whole life seems to have been centred around food in one way or another. There are some recipes peppered throughout this book which I am very much looking forward to working my way through. Chocolate coconut macaroon brownies up first!

** Many thanks to Zoe for gifting me the hardcover copy of this book. **

‘I never thought I’d write a memoir. I never thought I’d do a lot of the things I have done in my thirty-four years, but life has a wonderful way of surprising us.’

Well-known as the winner of the third series of The Great British Bake Off and runner up of Strictly Come Dancing with his same-sex dance partner Johannes Radebe, John Whaite’s personal story is a complicated narrative of contradictions, highs and lows, told with tenderness, joy, insight and wit, but also unflinching honesty.

A shy little boy from rural Lancashire, who was sacred to sleep alone and danced a little ‘too gay’ at family weddings, he was also an unruly teen who shaved a checkerboard pattern into his hair and refused to conform.

From childhood his life has revolved around food – his parents owned a fish and chip shop where John worked in the back peeling potatoes – but for long periods he has been haunted by bulimia and body dysmorphia and not a day goes by when he doesn’t worry about what or how much he eats.

He achieved TV fame but then seemingly wilfully chose to self-destruct, before finding the strength to pull back when he woke up in a car with half a kebab at his feet and chilli sauce on his shoes.

Through it all, his essential optimism has meant that he has chosen to take every step back as a chance to reassess and begin again, finally arriving at the realisation that external validation and fulfilment is transient – a distraction from the sometimes painful pilgrimage we make as we gain wisdom from our experiences.