Motsi Mabuse has recalled the toxic elements of her first marriage.
The Strictly Come Dancing judge, 41, claims German dancer Timo Kulczak, 45, would control her finances throughout their marriage - giving her an allowance from her earnings thanks to TV appearance - and even decide what she would eat at times.
Writing in her new book, Finding My Own Rhythm, the dancer explains how her ex-husband would refuse to break up with her and ignore her desire to have a baby and become a mother.
Eventually, Timo accept their marriage was over, with Motsi writing: "Timo and I went to Thailand, and I told him, once and for all, that I was leaving.
"We fought every day, but I refused to back down this time."
Motsi - whose sister is former Strictly champ Oti - had moved to Germany from South Africa to be with him when she was just 18, but quickly realised she was no longer in love with her fellow dancer.
"I wasn’t in love with Timo any more — and I hadn’t been for a while," she recalls, after admitting chats with her friends who would "talk about dating and sex" led to her feeling like she was missing out on something.
After living separately for a year, Timo and Motsi divorced in 2014, but the Strictly judge writes how the pair have managed to remain friends to this day.
Motsi is now happily married with her new dance partner Evgenij Voznyuk, whom she met around the same time her marriage was breaking down and coming to an end.
The star claims there was no crossover with her ex-husband and her current beau, but admits she and Evgenij did chat about their feelings for one another which did see her speed up the process of ending her first marriage.
Motsi, her husband and their four-year-old daughter now live happily together in Germany, where they run a dance school together when the TV star isn't appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in the United Kingdom.
The star's stint on the 20th series of the BBC ballroom dancing show is due to begin later this month, but is likely due to be rescheduled due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The series is currently scheduled to launch Saturday 17 September.
There's a big change to the pro line-up this year, with pro dancers Oti Mabuse and Aljaz Skorjanec having left the series. The BBC show announced that four new professionals would be joining the show.
European cup winner Vito Coppola , Chinese National Champion Carlos Gu , former Under 21 British National Champion Lauren Oakley and Latin dance champion Michelle Tsiakkas will all be taking to the stage.
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