FAMILY REUNION
Strictly’s Oti Mabuse had not seen sister Motsi for a YEAR before 2020 series as star shares ‘gratitude’ for the show
STRICTLY Come Dancing's Oti Mabuse shared her "gratitude" for the BBC One show as she revealed she'd not seen her sister Oti for a YEAR before the 2020 series.
The 30-year-old star is a professional dancer on Strictly, and last year's winner alongside celebrity partner Bill Bailey, and her older sister is a judge.
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This meant that the two women were able to see each other - although at a social distance - during filming, with coronavirus previously keeping them apart.
Because Motsi, 39, lives in Germany with her family when working on the show, and Oti in London, the sisters hadn't seen each other since 2019's Strictly final.
Speaking on today's Lorraine, Oti explained: "The last time I had seen my sister was in the Strictly final of 2019.
"Because of travel bans and everything I couldn't go over to see her on her birthday [11 April], which we usually celebrate together."
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The star went on to add that because the rest of her family live in South Africa, she hasn't seen them in two years - making her all the more grateful to work with Oti.
She said: "Because of Strictly, she was the only family member that I could actually see - I haven't seen my family in about two years because they're from South Africa and currently it's not great in South Africa as well.
"So to have Strictly, that's 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."
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Strictly's Motsi Mabuse breaks down in floods of tears as sister Oti Mabuse wins for the second year in a row
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In December, Motsi was visibly overwhelmed with emotion when her sibling won Strictly for the second year running.
She cried with happiness as Oti made history, with 55-year-old Bill becoming the show's oldest winner, while Oti became the first pro to win back-to-back championships having previously taken home the crown with Kelvin Fletcher in 2019.
Fans couldn't get enough of Motsi's reaction, flocking to social media at the time to heap praise on the sisters' close relationship and endless support for one another.
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