Oti Mabuse has opened up about her friendship with Holly Willoughby as she gushed that she has a “mad love” for her close friend.
The South African dancer, 31, joined the Dancing on Ice panel after leaving Strictly Come Dancing and she spoke on the show about forging a friendship with presenter Holly, 41.
She described the This Morning presenter as “funny and genuine” and said the two are constantly supporting each other while she gushed over their relationship.
Sweet: Oti Mabuse has shared a glimpse of her friendship with Holly Willoughby as she gushed that she has a “mad love” for her close friend
Oti told the Mirror’s Pride of Britain podcast: “I have this mad love for Holly, she’s lovely and funny and genuine.
“We always tell ourselves how incredible we are and that we’re doing a great job, and that really, really helps.”
She spoke about the importance of women building each other up and not being pitted against one another, revealing that she always advises her fans to follow their dreams.
Speaking about how her parents influenced her positivity, Oti said they always encouraged her and her sisters – Motsi, 41, and Phemelo, 35 – to do whatever they wanted.
Pals: The South African dancer, 31, joined the Dancing on Ice panel after leaving Strictly Come Dancing and she spoke about becoming friends with presenter Holly, 41, on the show
Oti, who was born in 1990, grew up in apartheid-era Mabopane, South Africa, and says her father encouraged her to travel overseas as black people weren’t as free to travel before 1994.
And she said her mother, Dudu, always worked to give her and her sisters the opportunities she never had, since blacks weren’t allowed on the same dance floor as whites when she was a teenager.
“My mother fought and sacrificed for all of us,” Oti said, explaining that her mother started classes to teach black dancers ballroom dancing when no one else was offering it.
Oti said her mother also encouraged her to be ambitious, which led her to become an eight-time South African Latin champion, get a civil engineering degree and move to Germany to perform on Strictly before moving to the UK.
Positivity: She spoke about the importance of women helping to build each other up and not being pitted against one another and revealed that she always advises her fans to follow their dreams
Oti recently revealed that after competing in the UK with a bigger chest, she got asked if she was still good enough to keep dancing.
The former Strictly champion released her own lingerie after feeling “different” when she started dancing in the country.
Appearing on Loose Women last month, Oti said she felt all women in South Africa were more alike than in the UK.
Oti explained: “When I started in South Africa it wasn’t that big of a deal because we were all the same… but when I came here I noticed that I looked different.
Siblings: Speaking of how her parents influenced her attitude, Oti explained that they always encouraged her and her sisters Motsi, 41, and Phemelo, 35, to do whatever they wanted
‘Is that wrong? Am I wrong?’
She continued, “And you start judging and that’s what’s happening in your head and you start doubting yourself.
“It had to be a look of self-talk. I don’t like being lied to, so I don’t lie.’
It’s not the first time that the dance professional has spoken openly about her body image.
The dancer previously revealed that during her first-ever stint on Strictly, she burst into tears at the dress fitting because of her 28GG boobs.
Body image: It comes after Oti recently revealed she had a bigger breast at a competition in the UK, wondering if she’s still good enough to keep dancing
In an interview with Lorraine in 2018, she said: “I remember fitting my first bra and I cried. I thought this looks so bad and I look so massive compared to the other girls.
“Nobody teased me for it and nobody discriminated against me for it and nobody said anything negative and I think that helped me and my self-esteem and my nerves to be out and about in a sequined bra.”
Oti revealed that she covered herself in baggy tops as a child, but once she slipped into her sequined number on Strictly, there was no hiding.
She added: “My whole family has always had big breasts. I hit puberty long before other girls.”
Back in February, the Romeo & Duet host shocked fans when she announced she was leaving Strictly after seven years as a professional dancer.
Oti, who recently embarked on her I Am Here solo tour, won the dance competition with Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher in 2019 and with comedian Bob Bailey in 2020.
Announcing her decision to leave the show, she said: “I was on Strictly for seven years and it was such a big part of my career. I was like, ‘OK, it’s time to move on.’
She added: “I also think it wanted a new challenge.”
Moving on: Back in February, the Romeo & Duet host shocked fans when she announced she was leaving Strictly after seven years as a professional dancer