Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse announced that she will be leaving the show to join the judging panel on ITV’s Dancing On Ice.
The move is now leaving fans questioning whether the dancer will ever return to the BBC dancefloor.
Oti won hearts after winning the show with Bill Bailey, but departing to a rival show is never going to do her any favours with the Strictly bosses.
The popular dancer is set to fill the seat on the judging panel left by John Barrowman.
He announced that he was leaving Dancing On ice for All Star Musicals instead.
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
This isn’t the first time Oti has changed sides though, after she appeared on the panel for The Masked Dancer alongside Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan.
Oti joined Strictly back in 2015, and won the coveted glitterball in 2019 and 2020.
According to Metro, celebrity PR and publicist Harry Rutter thinks that Oti will have been offered a huge sum of money to make the move to ITV.
(Image: PA)
“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.”
Harry also believes that Oti’s time on The Masked Dancer served as a trial for Dancing On Ice, and that ITV seem pleased.
(Image: BBC)
Harry thinks Oti needed the change to progress in her career as a TV personality rather than just as a professional Strictly dancer.
He added: “I can’t imagine a return to Strictly after joining a primetime ITV show. ‘There definitely comes a point where stars just fancy a change. It’s a deal that, if done correctly, works both ways for the stars and networks, almost like transferring audiences thanks to loyal fans and viewers.”
The cast for Dancing On ice includes Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, Corrie’s Sally Dynevor and 2021 Love Islander Liberty Poole.
Fans will have to wait and see if Oti is allowed to return to the Strictly Come Dancing team.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
