Oti Mabuse reveals pandemic meant she didn’t see sister Motsi for almost a year

Oti Mabuse has revealed the tough separation she has faced from her family during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Strictly Come Dancing professional spoke to Lorraine on Thursday morning, revealing that she didn’t see her older sister Motsi, a judge on Strictly, for almost a year until Strictly reunited them.

She explained that before the 2020 series of the BBC dance competition began last Autumn, she hadn’t seen Motsi since the final of the 2019 series thanks to travel restrictions.

Oti lives in the UK with her husband Marius Iepure while Motsi is based in Germany with her husband Evgenij Voznyuk and their young daughter.

After Motsi flew home following the 2019 Strictly finale, the coronavirus outbreak in early 2020 meant the two sisters were separated until the 2020 series. 

‘Actually the last time I had seen my sister was the Strictly final in 2019 and because of the travel bans I couldn’t go over to see her on her birthday,’ Oti explained to Lorraine.

‘We usually celebrate together so because of Strictly that was the only family member that I could actually see.’

Oti is also missing her family back home in South Africa, explaining: ‘I haven’t seen my family in about two years because they’re from South Africa and it’s currently not great in South Africa as well.’

‘So to have Strictly is another thing that I’m grateful for, even though we were in separate bubbles it was nice that I could actually see her and she was there.’

Oti added that the lack of travel has actually allowed her to connect with her extended family though, as she explained:  

‘There’s opportunity to make new connections, to bond I know during the first lockdown we started Zooming weekly with the extended family, so first second and third cousins.’

‘Everyone got to know each other, all the children. Christmas was also spent on Zoom, it was the entire family so it gave us the opportunity to make more connections and deeper ones.’

Oti has also used technology to connect with her fans over the past year, leading online dance classes with her husband.   

‘Honestly I haven’t done a lot of exercise so doing these dances helps me to do exercise,’ she laughed.

‘It’s about doing things that make you feel good in lockdown whether that’s dancing or projects, it’s really important whenever we are at home to do something you love.’

‘I am the kind of person who will eat crisps and watch Bridgeton, I think I’ve watched it maybe three times.’

Oti capped off 2020 with her second Strictly Come Dancing win in a row, picking up the Glitterball trophy with her celeb partner, comedian Bill Bailey. 

‘I love how restrained he was and determined to do well. he’s doing my dance classes as well, which is amazing,’ she gushed of her partner. 

But when Lorraine asked if she was aiming for a third win on the BBC show in 2021, she was modest, insisting: 6’I don’t know, I honestly never go for them I just focus on my celeb for that week. you made my heart pump there!’