Ugoing, going, gone
REIGNING Strictly Come Dancing champ Oti Mabuse had her hopes for a hat trick dashed – after she and partner Ugo Monye were voted off last night.
The professional dancer, 31, won the last two series, with Emmerdale’s Kelvin Fletcher in 2019 and then in 2020 with comic Bill Bailey.
She has hinted this year will be her last on the BBC show.
But last night all four judges, including Oti’s sister Motsi, voted to save CBBC host Rhys Stephenson and his partner Nancy Xu in the dance-off.
Rugby star Ugo had been forced to sit out last weekend’s show after he hurt his back.
Training had made a “historic” injury flare up and he had to be treated with injections in his spine.
After the judges made their decision, Ugo, 38, said: “I’ve loved it. It’s an absolute privilege to be on this show and all
I’ve wanted to do every week is just get a little bit better and I’ve done that.
“There’s lots of people I would love to say thank you to. Oti, firstly, just for putting up with me. She said she wanted a challenge and she got one! To everyone else that’s in the competition, it’s truly incredible and I wish you all the very best of luck.
“To the judges – Craig, I think it’s really important to say that if you’re willing to accept the positive comments, you have to accept the criticism as well, so thank you for all of your comments.”
Oti said: “I am so grateful to be partnered with you. Thank you for having me as a teacher. Seeing you through your injury, I appreciate every single moment that you’ve given to me.”
Ugo and Oti were placed bottom of the leaderboard for their rumba, while John Whaite and Johannes Radebe came top with a Charleston.