Oti Mabuse has openly talked about the challenges she faced during her time on Strictly Come Dancing after previously revealing that the pressure once left her in tears in the shower.
In a heartfelt moment last year on the We Need to Talk podcast, Oti disclosed how her husband stumbled upon her sobbing fully clothed in the shower, overwhelmed by the strain of the beloved BBC dance contest.
The South African dancing sensation first graced the Strictly dance floor in 2015 alongside boxer Anthony Ogogo and went on to pair with stars like Hollyoaks’ Danny Mac, Jonnie Peacock and Graeme Swann, ultimately clinching the Glitterball Trophy with Kelvin Fletcher and Bill Bailey.
However, despite leaving the show in 2022, the 34-year-old, who has now taken her expertise to the Dancing on Ice judging panel, acknowledged her ambition was more than personal. Speaking to the Guardian, she said: “I had a lot on my shoulders, like I said. I don’t just represent myself – I stand for something as well, in terms of who is watching me and what it implies.”
Pushing herself to meet high expectations was pivotal to her success, as she confided: “I needed the, ‘Oti, maybe you’re not pushing yourself hard enough. You’ve got to push yourself a little harder.’ When I pushed myself the hardest, I won twice.”
Oti also touched on upsetting encounters with body shaming previously, candidly calling out the “hurtful” remarks about her weight as “not nice”.
Speaking to The Times, Oti Mabuse shared her thoughts on the pressures women face, saying: “Women get put through the trenches a lot of the time. And I guess we do wear dresses and it’s about the fashion and that’s how people monetise it. But I was getting the most compliments when I was not having a healthy lifestyle, not making healthy lifestyle choices.”
In related news, Oti admitted her own challenges on ITV’s Dancing on Ice, confessing she’s “not as good” as her co-judges. She also commented on the demanding nature of ice skating, highlighting the sport’s speed.
While speaking on Woman’s Hour on BBC Radio 4, Oti described ice skating as not only “hard” but “scary” due to the high speeds and windy conditions. Despite this, she expressed her enjoyment of the sport.
She further added: “And I always say, if I wasn’t a judge and I did leave Strictly earlier, I would have loved to try it as a contestant because what the pros do is amazing and the choreography. It’s amazing, but it’s also a great skill to learn. Like, just skating, you know, just turning on the ice.”