STRICTLY’S SISTER ACT
THE big sister of Strictly Come Dancing favourite Oti Mabuse will replace Darcey Bussell on the judging panel of the BBC One show in the new series. Motsi Mabuse, 38, has been a judge on the German version, Let’s Dance, for eight years, having started out as a professional dancer in 2007. Yesterday she said: “I am absolutely overjoyed. I have so much respect and admiration for the other three judges and hope to add my own bit of sparkle to the show. I can’t wait to get started.”
Oti, 28, also started out as a pro dancer on the German show and has already experienced being judged by her sibling. “Motsi will be scrupulously fair,” said one insider. “She always was with Oti on the German version.”
Motsi grew up in South Africa but lives in Germany with Ukrainian dancer Evgenij Voznyuk, her former latin dance partner who she married in 2017. The couple had a daughter last year. She will continue on Let’s Dance, which airs at a different time of year to the UK original. Prima ballerina Bussell, 50, quit after seven years in April, saying she wanted to “give more focus to my many other commitments in dance”.
Her place alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and head judge Shirley Ballas has now been filled, with show sources saying Motsi was always the “frontrunner”. Strictly’s new executive producer, Sarah James, said she was “incredibly excited” by the signing ahead of the 17th series starting in September.
She said: “Motsi’s natural warmth, energy and passion for dance makes her the perfect addition to our judging panel.”
Strictly dancers gave Motsi a warm welcome on social media.
Katya Jones posted: “Brilliant choice!” Her husband, Neil Jones, described Motsi as “one the greatest female dancers of her time” while Janette Manrara welcomed her to “the family”.
This year’s contenders include Coronation Street’s Catherine Tyldesley, Blue Peter’s Radzi Chinyanganya, football pundit Alex Scott, radio host Roman Kemp, and former football manager Sam Allardyce.