‘This felt really special’: Oti Mabuse reunites with her mother for the first time in THREE years as she makes surprise return home to South Africa in heartwarming video
Oti Mabuse had an emotional reunion with her mother as they saw each other in person for the first time in three years.
The Strictly Come Dancing star, 31, surprised her parents Dudu and Peter by travelling home to South Africa for Christmas without telling them.
The professional dancer shared a video of herself sat in Heathrow Airport as she waited to board her flight.
Heartwarming: Oti Mabuse had an emotional reunion with her mother as they saw each other in person for the first time in three years
She said: ‘I’m on my way home. I haven’t been home in four years. I haven’t seen my mum in four years, haven’t seen my dad in four. She doesn’t know I’m coming home.’
The camera then followed Oti on her drive from the airport to her mother’s home where she was seen reuniting with her and several other family members.
Alongside the clip, Oti said her mother was ‘speechless’ when she walked in the door after the pair hadn’t seen each other during the flesh amid the coronavirus pandemic.
She said: ‘FINALLY AFTER YEARS I WAS ABLE TO GO HOME TO SOUTH AFRICA.
Reunion: The Strictly Come Dancing star, 31, surprised her parents Dudu and Peter by travelling home to South Africa for Christmas without telling them
‘Decided to surprise my family and not tell them I’m coming home just to see their expressions, mom was speechless (touched me all to see if I was real, dad couldn’t stop smiling and my god mother cried her eyes off)
‘To say I was emotional is an absolute understatement I have been waiting 3-4 years to hold my moms, dad, sister, nieces and nephews in my arms and just spend time with them NOT through a screen ❤️
‘I rarely share family events but this felt really special to me and I know so many others are in my position and were buzzing when RSA was taken off of the red list.
‘Covid has really taught me how much family is above all and should never be taken for granted ❤️ Please excuse the coming photo dumps that will be flying your way.’
Surprise: The camera ffollowed Oti on her drive from the airport to her mother’s home where she was seen reuniting with her and several other family members
Several of Ot’s fellow Strictly Come Dancing pro dancers commented on the video including Karen Hauer who wrote: ‘Beautiful beautiful’.
Giovanni Pernice wrote: ‘happy for you babe !!!♥️♥️♥️’ while Neil Jones sent several love hearts.
Oti will next be seen on screens in the New Year when she joins the Dancing On Ice judging panel, replacing John Barrowman.
Her new role could see her trade the ballroom for the ice – for good – according to The Metro.
Emotional: Oti said her mother was ‘speechless’ when she walked in the door after the pair hadn’t seen each other during the flesh amid the coronavirus pandemic
Reaction: Several of Ot’s fellow Strictly Come Dancing pro dancers commented on the video including Karen Hauer who wrote: ‘Beautiful beautiful’
Celebrity PR and publicist Harry Rutter believes it’s not likely she’ll go back to the Beeb.
‘Moves like this don’t often happen, but it’s more than likely that a very tempting offer was put on the table by ITV bosses.
‘Oti has been doing Strictly Come Dancing since 2015 and has built up a substantial audience both on TV and online, this is something ITV would have taken into account,’ he said.
A representative for Oti told MailOnline it is ‘all speculation.’ A Strictly representative declined to comment.
New role: The South African dancer’s latest endeavour was recently revealed, as will join the Dancing On Ice panel alongside fellow judges Ashley Banjo, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in January 2022