As the first series of The Greatest Dancer wrapped over the weekend, dance captain Oti Mabuse had a lot to celebrate. Not only did her act Ellie Fergusson win, but the Strictly star was finally able to breathe and relax after a busy season. Oti paid tribute to her husband Marius Lepure and thanked him for always supporting her. Sharing a sweet selfie of the couple, she wrote: "And [thanks to my] husband of course who held me through it all. I just bloody love ya kiddo."
After Ellie, 15, was crowned the winner on Saturday night, she embraced Oti fully and said: "I'm speechless. It's been the most amazing experience of my life." Oti praised the teen dancer, saying: "It's been all her, it has nothing to do with me. She came out every single week and did her best. Ellie you are so deserving!"
© Photo: InstagramOti paid tribute to her husband Marius
It's clear the two ladies have formed a close bond during their time on the show. On the day of the final, Oti posted a sweet photo showing her lying across Ellie's lap. "When the love is real..." she wrote.
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While Oti rarely speaks about her private life in public, fans do know that she married ballroom and Latin dancer, Marius, in 2014. The 36-year-old Romanian performed as a backing dancer on Strictly in 2017 alongside his wife and despite talks of him becoming a professional on the show, he did not appear in the 2018 or 2019 series.
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Joking with the Daily Mail about their relationship and the so-called Strictly curse, Marius has previously said: "I've heard about the Strictly curse, but it doesn't bother me one bit. I simply can't afford to get a divorce so it's not going to happen."
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