Oti Mabuse reveals best part of new Strictly Come Dancing 'role'
The dancer said she loves working with the 'talented' team
What did you miss?
Oti Mabuse says the best part of returning to Strictly as a choreographer is that she can leave when it gets “intense”.
The star was previously one of the professional dancers on the BBC ballroom show but stepped down in 2022 after seven years. She has since returned to the programme on a couple of occasions in a choreographer role, and is doing so again for the upcoming 2024 series.
Mabuse opened up on The One Show on Thursday, 12 September as she joined hosts Alex Jones and Roman Kemp on the sofa. She was there to discuss her Viva Carnival dance tour but also talked about Strictly Come Dancing, which has been hit by scandal this year.
What, how and why?
The star said that she was headed back to the ballroom this year to work on some routines. “I went back to choreograph, this is my third year choreographing,” she said.
"I love it because you get in, it gets intense and you drop out quickly! You are like, ‘Bye, I love you, I miss you, bye!’" giggled the star.
"I love it because they are all so talented and they love the show and really they give you 100% in the studio and when they perform," continued the dancer, whose sister Motsi Mabuse is one of the judges on the BBC dance contest.
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"And you know when they are together and they push each other, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before."
What has happened on Strictly Come Dancing?
Strictly’s previously glowing reputation was rocked after 2023 contestant Amanda Abbington pulled out early and went on to make allegations about the conduct of her pro partner Giovanni Pernice, who has since left. He has denied the allegations about him and has made it clear that he looks forward to clearing his name.
Then this summer another pro, Graziano Di Prima, was dropped from the 2024 line-up after it emerged that he was alleged to have kicked his celebrity partner, Love Island star Zara McDermott, during rehearsals.
Di Prima said sorry, with his spokesman telling the BBC: "He knows he's made a mistake. He apologised at the time." And the dancer later told the Daily Mail that he had not meant to kick McDermott, suggesting that his foot “brushed” her after he kicked the floor in frustration during rehearsals.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 14 September at 7.20pm.
