Oti Mabuse has announced she is leaving Strictly Come Dancing after seven years as a professional dance partner.
Sharing the news on Instagram, she said: “Never easy to say goodbye. I have been part of the most amazing TV show, Strictly Come Dancing for the past seven years and it has been an incredible time.
“Lifting the glitterball twice and having the best journey with all my celebrities, but also meeting and working with the best team, crew, producers, celebs and incredible professional dancers! You are my family and I adore you all forever.”
Born in South Africa, Mabuse, 31, studied civil engineering before moving to Germany to dance. The Latin American and ballroom dancer, who won the South African Latin American championship eight times, was crowned Strictly winner in 2019 with the actor Kelvin Fletcher and in 2020 with the comedian Bill Bailey.
Over the past year, she has taken a seat on the judging panels of BBC One’s The Greatest Dancer, ITV’s The Masked Singer and most recently ITV’s Dancing on Ice – leading to speculation that she may not return to the Strictly ballroom.
Her new BBC radio show, Oti Mabuse’s Dancing Legends, explores the people who have changed the course of dance, including Fred Astaire and Raven Wilkinson. She has said the show was inspired partly by Bailey, who taught her to “go back in time and find the root of the purpose of what you’re doing”.
Mabuse said on Tuesday she was “honestly so grateful to the BBC and will always remember that Strictly and BBC brought me to the UK – which I now call home and I have learned and grown so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart”.
She added: “I can’t put into words how difficult this decision has been, but I have decided not to return for the next series.
“Dance will always be my first love and to everyone, my family especially, friends, strictly fans and judges who have been my support throughout my strictly journey. Thank you for being incredible! You are irreplaceable in my heart and have made everyday unforgettable! I love you.”
In a statement, BBC Strictly said Mabuse’s “energy, creativity and talent” had contributed to many of the show’s most memorable moments. “She will be hugely missed, not only by viewers, but the entire team.”
Earlier this month, the dancer spoke out about the “racially abusive” and “fat-shaming” comments she had received after performing on the show.
“I’ve never really spoken about it because I’ve tried for so long to think about it this way: I work on a show that 10 million people love; if 10 or 100 people aren’t nice to me, that is not representative of everyone else’s views,” she said.
