Oti Mabuse gushes over the ‘female influences’ in her life including Davina McCall

Oti Mabuse gushed over the ‘female influences’ in her life, claiming that her pal Davina McCall is ‘the politest women you will ever meet’. 

In a new interview with Digital Spy, Oti revealed how dancing has shaped her as a person as it ’empowers women’.

The ballroom professional, 32, joined Strictlyin 2015, before leaving in 2021 to pursue opportunities as a judge on The Masked Singer and Dancing On Ice.

Empowerment: Oti Mabuse has spoken on the power of dancing and admitted it helped her ‘become aware’ of her body

Speaking about her pal Davina, who is also a judge on The Masked Dancer UK, Oti said: ‘Davina is the politest woman you will ever meet. She gets on to that set and she pays everybody the respect and the time.

‘She takes the time for everyone and really is kind in that way. ‘How are you? How’s your wife? How’s your children?’ and she remembers their names, and she’s genuine. To see that with someone who’s so massive – she’s a superstar, she’s Davina!’

Oti recently revealed that she and Davina text ‘all the time’ trying to work out the identities of the stars on the Masked Singer as she spoke about the show’s much-anticipated second series.

The South African dancer described the presenter, 54, as her ‘co-detective’ and said they have bonded over their determination to figure out who the dancers are on the ITV reality show. 

Close: The ballroom profestional gushed over the ‘female influences’ in her life, claiming that her pal Davina McCall is ‘the politest women you will ever meet’

Previously speaking about her and Davina’s determination to figure out which stars are beneath the costumes, Oti said: ‘Davina and I text all the time trying to guess who they are.

‘Davina is my co-detective on the show. Backstage she and I are throwing ideas around on who the celebrities could be. She’s the person I go to with my ideas. I honestly don’t stop thinking about the show.’ 

While Davina added: ‘Oti and I message all of the time; it was midnight the other night when Oti sent me random pictures of people and asked ‘same body shape as…? I mean, we’re just literally clutching at straws, but I am having such a hoot.’

Judges: Oti recently revealed that she and Davina McCall text ‘all the time’ trying to work out the identities of the stars on the show (L-R Davina, Peter Crouch and Oti)

Oti also spoke on the power of dancing and admitted it helped her ‘become aware’ of her own body. 

The star claimed: ‘I think dancing is one of the things that really empower women for their femininity, and I think as a woman we celebrate it.

‘It’s all about really being a strong woman and I guess it helps you with life situations as well, because you become so aware of your body, aware of how to move it, and it’s a good thing to be really, really yourself and feminine and to play that role.

Sad: Oti announced she was quitting Strictly Come Dancing after seven years in Feburary as she pursues other projects

‘For me growing up I had a lot of female influences as well that I used to look up to, and so it always felt empowering to be a woman as a female dancer.’  

Oti announced she was quitting Strictly Come Dancing after seven years in Feburary as she pursues other projects.

She left the show after winning the Glitterball trophy in two consecutive years with Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher, 37, and comedian Bill Bailey, 56.

The TV personality went on to discuss future career opportunities, revealing she would like to travel around the world and see how different women survive for a documentary. 

The full interview with Oti Mabuse can be read on the Digital Spy website. 

Exit: She left the show after winning the Glitterball trophy in two consecutive years with Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher, 37, and comedian Bill Bailey, 5