Oti Mabuse says ‘it’s not for her to say’ if she will return to Strictly Come Dancing

Virgin Radio

2 Feb 2022, 12:47

Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse has hinted that her future on the show might not be secure. 

Oti previously won the 2020 series when she was partnered with comedian Bill Bailey, but recently became a judge on ITV’s Dancing On Ice, leaving fans to speculate if she was leaving the BBC ballroom.

While speaking to Metro, Otia was asked about her being able to fit in Strictly with her incredibly packed schedule, which includes her Dancing On Ice judging, her musical about Cher, as well as new dating show Romeo and Juliet.

When grilled about if Strictly is back to being a priority, Oti replied: “Everybody keeps asking me. It’s not for me to say. Strictly is such a big machine and no one is bigger than that show.

“To touch anything around Strictly is such an honour and it will always be who I am. For everyone who’s on it and part of it on and off screen, we all truly love it.”

Sounds as though plans for the next series haven’t been finalised yet, meaning Oti’s future on the dance floor is looking particularly precarious, but when asked about the social progress Strictly has made over the years, the pro dancer couldn’t be more proud.

She added: “Strictly creates awareness in a nice way, not in a way where people could go, ‘That’s a bit too much’. More, ‘Oh yeah, I’ll try that’. Even Bill [Bailey] winning Strictly at his age… for a lot of the older generation, they’ll look at him doing a jive and be inspired to try something new.”

Hopefully Strictly isn’t taking a back seat for Oti, but the 2022 calendar is already filling up. We reported in January how Oti was set to host the new dating series Romeo and Juliet on ITV. 

If you've ever wished your true love would sing you a song to woo you, then you're in luck.As the name might suggest, it involves a balcony, as per the Shakespearean classic.

One singleton stands on a balcony, while someone else serenades them with a love song.

Like other shows such as Sexy Beats and Love Is Blind - the catch is they don't actually get to see each other's faces unless the person on the balcony is impressed enough to come down.

Oti said: "I'm so excited to be part of Romeo & Duet. It's always been a dream of mine to host so this is a real pinch me moment, and it's a blessing for me to finally be able to share this news. I honestly can’t wait to get started!”