Oti Mabuse is pregnant! Ex-Strictly dancer announces live on her breakfast show that she is expecting her first child with husband Marius Iepure
Oti Mabuse has announced that she is pregnant with her first child with husband Marius Iepure.
The former Strictly Come Dancing professional, 33, confirmed their surprise baby news live on ITV’s Oti Mabuse’s Breakfast Show on Saturday morning.
She was joined on her weekend chat show by her Romanian dancer husband, 40, as he guided guests Marisha Wallace and Chizzy Akudolu through a dance routine.
But the couple surprised their guests and viewers alike when they announced at the end of the episode that they were expecting their first child.
Oti hugged her husband and began the closing segment of her show as usual, before teasing that they’ve “got some good news.”
Congratulations! Oti Mabuse has announced that she is pregnant with her first child with husband Marius Iepure
She said, “Speaking of things you didn’t know back home, we have something for all of you, we have good news. We’re having a child!’
The couple then shared a warm embrace as the crew cheered, while Marisha and Chizzy seemed completely shocked by the revelation.
Oti and Marius met in Germany during a dance class and participated in several competitions together.
Marius popped the question to the Dancing On Ice judge on his birthday in 2014 and the couple got married the same year.
While Marius hasn’t followed in his wife’s footsteps with an appearance on Strictly, he’s no stranger to TV, having appeared in two seasons of the German show Let’s Dance.
Oti met Marius just before she was offered Strictly and recently raved about her partner moving to England to be with her while she took the opportunity.
She told the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine in June: ‘I realize how lucky I’ve been. Marius moved to England for me. He had to make many sacrifices for me and he had his own goals.
“He was going to work in Iceland, Romania and Canada, but he would come back to spend my days off with me. Sometimes he could only be back for a few hours, but he would come to Blackpool just to cuddle me before a show.
“Whatever I want, Marius will help me get it. He helps me remember why I do what I do. He will say, ‘Remember where you started. Think how far you’ve come.’ He’s my biggest cheerleader.’
Oti retired from Strictly Come Dancing after the 2021 series after a seven-year stint on the show.
Oti wanted to pursue other TV opportunities after establishing herself as a talent show judge on ITV’s The Masked Dancer and Dancing On Ice.
She left Strictly after winning the Glitterball trophy in two consecutive years with Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher, 37, and comedian Bill Bailey, 56.
Oti recently stressed that she doesn’t regret leaving the BBC dance competition, admitting she’s glad she doesn’t have to become so restrictive on her diet.
“You have to take good care of your body. You have to look a certain way,” she said. ‘You have to be light enough to perform certain movements. I haven’t been able to eat what I wanted for years.’
She won the coveted glitter ball twice, a feat only she and Aliona Vilani have accomplished, and is the only one to do so in consecutive years.
“I was literally obsessed with winning Strictly,” she admitted. “I would eat, sleep, drink and think I would win Strictly. There was nothing else.
“You’re in a bubble, on a treadmill. It’s not until you get off it that you realize, ‘Oh my God, there’s all these things I can do right now. I can sleep on Sunday. I don’t wake up at 3 a.m. and think about someone’s cha-cha steps.” I ran away from all that stuff and I’m still alive.’
She admitted that walking away from Strictly was a huge gamble, saying, “It hadn’t been done before.”
“You haven’t seen female strict professionals do it,” she explained. “That’s why I admire Janette (Manrara, who stopped dancing on the show to host the companion program It Takes Two).”