Dancing queen
Motsi Mabuse: Meet Strictly Come Dancing judge and sister of pro dancer Oti
Plus, a look at her professional dancer husband Evgenij and their family
MOTSI Mabuse replaced Dame Darcey Bussell on the Strictly judging panel and has been on it ever since.
Here's everything we know about the glamorous judge and dancer — who's back on our screens for Strictly 2024.
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Who is Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse?
Motsi Mabuse was announced as the new Strictly judge for 2019, replacing Darcey Bussell on the show.
She first appeared as a dancer on German TV show Let's Dance in 2007 — the German adaptation of Strictly Come Dancing — before joining the judging panel, and then later becoming a judge on the UK version.
Motsi was born in Mankwe, South Africa on April 11, 1981.
She began dancing when she was six years old and quickly excelled, becoming a competitive dancer by the age of 11.
Motsi's parents planned for her to become a lawyer and she studied a law degree at the University of Pretoria.
But she couldn't stay away from her passion for long and soon returned her attention to dancing — specifically Ballroom and Latin.
Motsi went on to compete at dance championships all over the world, including the UK and Germany, where she later moved.
On 'Germany Strictly' Let's Dance, she finished in fifth and sixth place with her celebrity dance partners over the course of two series.
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Although she originally went on the show as a dancer, she took over from Isabel Edvardsson as a judge for the fourth season in 2011 — and is still on the panel in 2024.
Motsi's performances on Let's Dance caught the attention of the producers of Strictly, she joined the panel in 2019 and has been on it ever since.
Motsi Mabuse dances the Cha Cha to Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' at Weihnachtsball 2014
Before landing on the nation's favourite TV dance competition, Motsi was already no stranger to our screens, having previously appeared on Channel 4's Celebrity Gogglebox with her sisters Oti and Phemelo.
In a 2019 statement, Motsi said: “I am absolutely overjoyed to be joining the Strictly judging panel."
Who's her sister Oti?
Her sister Oti Mabuse is also a professional dancer, who joined Strictly in 2015.
On her first outing on the show she was partnered with boxer Anthony Ogogo, but the pair didn't make it past week three and finished in 14th place.
Unlike most of the dancers on Strictly, she did not start her path to professional dancing from a young age.
People always feel like when the man has the baby, the guy is babysitting, but it’s not, he’s also the dad
Motsi Mabuse
Oti studied civil engineering at university before following in her sister's footsteps and embarking on a career in dancing.
In 2016, Oti was partnered with Hollyoaks hunk Danny Mac on Strictly, and the duo were the show's standout performers, topping the leaderboard seven times on their way to the finals.
She shocked fans of the programme when she announced her departure after twice winning the Glitterball Trophy — partnered with Kelvin Fletcher in 2019 and Bill Bailey in 2020 — during her seven years on the show.
Oti has been married to ballroom and Latin dancer Marius Lepur since 2014.
She gave birth to their first child, a baby girl, in December 2023 — but she is yet to reveal her name or face with the public.
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Is Motsi married?
Motsi is married to Let's Dance colleague Evgenij Voznyuk — a Ukrainian dancer who she won the German Latin dance contest with.
She married Evgenij in an intimate legal ceremony, before inviting friends to celebrate at a larger wedding in Majorca in 2017.
She became Motsi Mabuse-Voznyuk and the couple share one daughter together.
In September 2019, Motsi opened up on Lorraine about the struggles of being a working mum.
She said: "I decided I have to travel because I have a little baby and I really don’t want to stress her, so it’s better to stress me."
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Lorraine said: "You and your husband will just make it work…"
“We have to,” Motsi replied. “The thing is people always feel like when the man has the baby, the guy is babysitting, but it’s not, he’s also the dad.”
She added: “So most of the time, I’m with the baby, but when he’s with the baby, a parent is with the baby so I feel quite comfortable in saying, ‘Daddy, you’ve got daddy girl time do your thing.’
"I have to let go because I’m like there’s this, there’s that, men do it differently."
Before Evgenij, Motsi was married to her dance partner Timo Kulczak, who she met at the British open championships in Blackpool.
The couple tied the knot in 2003 and competed in international dance competitions from their home in Germany.
Their marriage ended in 2014, the year after Motsi won the competition with Evgenij.
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