We’re only a few weeks into 2026, but Oti Mabuse is as busy as ever. When we chat, she’s just returned from a whirlwind weekend as a judge on Dancing With The Stars Ireland.
“*I can’t believe how fast the time’s going this year already,” says the 35-year- old, who has a two-year-old daughter (whose name she has not revealed) with husband Marius Lepure, 42.
As a mum with a successful career, it must be difficult spinning all the plates. And it’s something former jungle star Oti is taking very seriously. “We sat down at the start of the year and wrote out our Couple Goals list. Each of our priorities were so interesting, so we discussed it all together one evening,” she explains.
“Like, is parenthood before marriage, or vice versa? We decided that ultimately we were going to prioritise our marriage. At the end of the day, our daughter’s going to grow up, go to university, live her life – and we want to still like and love each other after all the years raising her. I’m glad we did it, we’ve really set the tone for 2026.”
As for keeping the spark alive, the star says the pair make a concerted effort. “We consciously try to remember to have date nights. We try not to let more than a month go by without going for a date, or to the spa,” Oti says.
“Even nipping out for a coffee and a walk – and simple, uninterrupted conversation – can feel like heaven, sometimes. Plus, we love our little dances at home. We don’t competitively dance on our TikToks – it’s about fun, and it’s a great way to keep you close as a couple.”
Speaking of Strictly (though she politely refuses to be drawn into any chat about who might succeed hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly), Oti says it has become a real family affair. “My daughter can’t get enough of watching Auntie Motsi. Sometimes we try on dresses to watch it in, or copy one of Motsi’s hairstyles.
“After the show, the real Auntie Motsi will then come to the house – so she’ll wait up, and the excitement levels are through the roof when she walks in. But she’ll say, ‘Mummy, Auntie Motsi looks different!’ as she’s not in all her glam!”
Oti was also very proud of her 2016 dance partner, Hollyoaks star Danny Mac, returning for the Blackpool special of the 2025 series. “He’s still one of my closest friends. He was so, so nervous. But he utterly smashed it.”
One of the most iconic Strictly duos ever – who could forget their sizzling samba routine? – Oti admits they regularly talk about hitting the road for their own dance tour, but logistics have got in the way.
“We talk about it all the time! We’d love to, genuinely – but he and Carly [Stenson, Danny’s actress wife] just had a second baby, I have a little girl, so trying to align our schedules is tricky.
“But every time Strictly’s on, we’re WhatsApping each other going, ‘When are we touring?!’ It’s going to be 10 years this year – isn’t that crazy?!”
Meanwhile, Oti recently began her stint as a judge on the Irish version of Dancing With The Stars – flying to Dublin every weekend – and she’s in raptures about the Emerald Isle. “I am loving Ireland so much. I come home smiling, everyone on set is lovely, so chatty, there’s no pressure.”
She’s also lending her name to a new anti-fad campaign, responding to new research by MyFitnessPal that claims the average Brit now tries four “health fads” every five years, with a third experiencing “fad fatigue”.
Oti says, “I’ve been using MyFitnessPal for years and when I saw the stats about fads, it was so interesting. As women especially, we’re all trying to desperately undo what we did over Christmas. Every year we say New Year, New Me, and by the end of the month it’s forgotten!
“I wanted to get involved to remind people to ‘Fight The Fad’ – that we don’t need to put ourselves under that pressure for a quick fix.”
She adds, “Dry January is a fad, juicing to detox is a fad – we do certain things that we’re not even aware are fads, because it’s trending or it’s ‘cool’. The simple truth is, you need to eat consciously and move your body, in whatever way.”
Oti has had quite a journey herself when it comes to body image, but tells us she’s pretty comfortable in her own skin these days. As for the controversial issue of fat jabs, she’s on the fence – but would “never judge”.
“If people are taking them in a healthy way, they should be able to do what they need to, to feel healthy and confident. I would never shame anyone for taking them. It’s not my place,” she says.
Oti admits that she still suffers the odd body wobble herself, but that’s where Marius comes in. “I’m so lucky to have him,” she smiles. “Whenever I have a wobble and I’m going, ‘Look at my tummy…’ he just hugs me, kisses the area and says, ‘You’re so beautiful, and you are so sexy.'”
So, what’s next for the star – amid mad-dash trips to Ireland and home dance sessions with her husband?
Well, Oti’s second fiction novel hits the shelves this spring, she tells us – a follow-up to her debut, Slow Burn, a racy contemporary romance about a dancer named Lira who rediscovers her passion and reconnects with a past love.
“I’m very excited! The first book was so much fun. This one is about both Lira and her sister and is still set in the world of dance, but ballet this time.” She grins mischievously before adding, “And let’s just say, it’s even more spicy than the last!”