She might have been an early favourite to take on the job, but Oti Mabuse has bad news for anyone who wants to see her take the vacant spot on the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel.
Strictly fans were quick to call for Oti to fill in for Dame Darcey Bussell when the celebrated ballerina announced that she was stepping down from the show, but she has now ruled herself out.
When asked about the rumours during an interview on Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 breakfast show, Oti said she would miss being a part of the Strictly professional family too much if she were to move to the judging team.
She explained: “I love dancing, I love coming to the rehearsals, I love being part of the group. I think it’s a really special group to be a part of.
“There are no dancers like Strictly dancers and how close we are, and I think I would absolutely miss that and that part of it, so I’ll be dancing, honey. I’ll be dancing.”
Meanwhile, her colleague Anton Du Beke has made no secret of the fact that he has his eye on the job, telling Graham Norton over the weekend: “I wish I could make the decision for them, but if I could do that I’d have made the final 12 times.”
Darcey announced her decision to leave the show after seven years last week, insisting: “I am not leaving because of any upset or disagreement at all, I am just stepping away to give more focus to my many other commitments in dance, after seven truly wonderful years that I can’t imagine having gone any better.”
Strictly will return to our screens for its 17th series later this year.