Entertainment
Motsi Mabuse reveals future Strictly Come Dancing plans after departure of sister Oti-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro
Motsi said she was ‘sad’ her sis had quit the show.
Motsi and Oti danced alongside each other for a number of years (Picture: Getty/BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse has shared her sadness over her sister Oti’s decision to quit the show as a professional dancer.
Oti joined the juggernaut BBC series back in 2015, going on to win the coveted Glitterball trophy twice with actor Kelvin Fletcher in 2019 and again in 2020 with comedian Bill Bailey.
But the 32-year-old, who won the South African Latin American championships eight times, announced her departure from the dancing competition series earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Motsi, 41, joined the panel in 2019, replacing Darcey Bussell, and will be back on our screens when the new series launches alongside Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke.
Motsi has spoken out about the prospect of starring on Strictly, which is presented by Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, for the first time without her little sister.
She said: ‘I’ll be sad not to see her on Strictly this year.’
‘I’ll always worry about my sister, but I have to respect her decision and let her go,’ she told Prima magazine. ‘She’s proven that she can more than protect herself and push herself to new heights.’
Motsi has a long commute to the Strictly studio (Picture: Dan Kennedy)
‘Meanwhile, I’ll continue to fly the Mabuse flag on Strictly for as long as they want.’
Motsi also revealed she lives a ‘double life’ once the starry show begins as she commutes between her home in Germany and the Strictly ballroom in the UK.
Oti was on the show for six years (Picture:BBC)
She explained: ‘From Monday to Friday, I lead a totally different life. I live in the forest; I take my child to playgroup in my pyjamas; I work out, sleep – and no one gives a damn about me!
‘Then, on Friday and Saturday, I glam it up, before returning to my “real” life.’
Motsi returns to Strcitly (Picture: BBC)
Oti had prompted speculation about her future with Strictly after appearing as a judge on the latest series of ITV’s Dancing On Ice.
The TV personality is also on the panel of The Masked Dancer, presented by comedian Joel Dommett, trying to unmask the identity of celebrity dancers with Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall and Peter Crouch.
Motsi is iconic on the panel (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
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Despite her soaring career, Oti recently revealed she still cried over her exit from the BBC’s flagship show.
‘It feels like I’m leaving family behind – even the backstage team, the people viewers don’t get to see – but when you know it’s time to go, you know,’ she told You magazine.
‘We cried for hours. I’m still crying now,’ she added.
Strictly Come Dancing launches on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on September 17.
Read the full interview in Prima’s October issue, on sale September 8.
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