Oti Mabuse has dropped the biggest hint yet she is set to leave Strictly Come Dancing.
The professional dancer recently joined rival show Dancing On Ice as a judge, sparking speculation about her future with the BBC ballroom competition.
Oti, who is one of Strictly’s biggest stars, has now said there “will be an announcement” made later, adding she wants to “learn and grow”.
During a press call, she said of her Strictly future: “There will be an announcement that will be made later but I think for me, as a person in entertainment, I really want to learn and I want to grow and I want a long career, especially in this country, like I moved all the way from Africa!
“So I have to make something of myself. So I’m really trying to learn and do as much as I can, for as long as I can, while I can.”
Oti joined the line-up of professional dancers on Strictly in 2015 and went on to win the show twice.
Oti and Kelvin Fletcher won the Glitterball in 2019, and she took the trophy home again in 2020 with Bill Bailey, becoming the first pro to win in two consecutive years.
She was confirmed as a new judge on ITV’s Dancing On Ice last month, replacing the departing John Barrowman.
Earlier this week, it was also announced Oti is she to present her own dating show for ITV, titled Romeo And Duet, later this year.
Her new Dancing On Ice role will see her judging a former Strictly colleague, as ex-pro Brendan Cole is taking to the ice as a contestant.
Speaking about him, she said (via PA Media): “I think he will be different because on Strictly he was very verbal because he was defending his celeb, if he really felt passionate about his celeb he was really defending her. This time it’s him, we are judging him.
“He has grown a little bit and I am hoping that he is going to take it in and take it as an opportunity to really show a different side of him, where Vanessa is taking care of him not him being the caretaker.”
Dancing On Ice begins on Sunday at 6.30pm on ITV.
