Connie yelled at me from the grave to dance my way to $10 million: Johnson

He’s ridden around Australia on a unicycle and quit acting to concentrate on raising money, now Samuel Johnson is taking desperate steps to honour his pledge to his late sister Connie to raise $10 million for cancer research — appearing on Dancing With The Stars.

• Little girl dresses as Connie Johnson for school ‘Hero Day’
• Connie Johnson dies, age 40, from breast cancer

After riding across Australia on a unicycle, actor Samuel Johnson is putting on his dancing shoes to tap his way to the finish line with the aim of raising $10 million for breast cancer research in honour of his late sister, Connie.

The 40-year-old is the first cast member announced for the revamped Dancing With The Stars, and is competing to raise cash for Love Your Sister, the charity he founded with Connie, who lost her battle with breast cancer in September 2017.

“The idea of putting any kind of Latin into my hips is absurd really,” Johnson said.

“If I can find just one moment where I feel sexy, well that will be a first in 40 years.

“I’m feeling very middle-aged and white at this point. I am not sure I thought this through.

“I’m gonna get exposed on this one and probably go out early.”

Actor and cancer warrior Samuel Johnson will appear on Dancing With The Stars. Picture: 10

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Johnson put acting aside to focus on Love Your Sister several years ago.

“My sister yelled at me from the grave and told me to dance my way to $10 million,” he said.

“I could hear her asking me repeatedly, ‘what are you, scared?’.

“I really like the idea of dancing my way towards $10 million.

“Seven years ago I promised the country I would raise $10 million for breast ­cancer research and I’m sitting on just shy of $9 million, so why not do a tap dance to the finish line?”

Samuel Johnson and his sister Connie, who died after a long battle with cancer.

The full cast is yet to be ­revealed, although Confidential can confirm Karl ­Stefanovic’s ex Cassandra Thorburn will be competing, as well as retired West Indies cricketer Curtly Ambrose.

“If it is judged solely on dancing alone, I might not last too long,” Johnson said.

Samuel Johnson, Cassandra Thorburn and Curtly Ambrose have been revealed as contestants.

Johnson won the Gold Logie for playing Molly ­Meldrum in the Molly telemovie, but said he had quit the craft indefinitely.

“I don’t know what is going to get me back there,” he said.

“I am too old to say never say never, but my heart isn’t in it.

“There’s a fire burning there still somewhere, but I’ve got so many other fires keeping me warm that it doesn’t ­really matter so much.”