Oti Mabuse Shares Key Lesson from GK Barry on Vulnerability and Motherhood
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse has revealed the important lesson fellow Loose Women panellist GK Barry taught her about embracing vulnerability. In an exclusive interview ahead of International Women's Day, the 35-year-old South African dancer opened up about her experiences on the ITV chat show, motherhood, and her time in the I'm A Celebrity jungle.
Loose Women as 'Girl Therapy'
Mabuse, who joined Loose Women as a regular panellist last April, described the show as "girl therapy" where she can leave her insecurities at the door. "I'm more aware of what's going on in the world and there's so much love between us, even if we're not agreeing," she explained. "Our morning debriefs are like girl therapy. We leave our insecurities at the door, when we're good or when we're scared."
The dancer, who is married to Romanian dancer Marius Lepere and has a two-year-old daughter, admitted she talks about "everything" on the show, much to the amusement of her sister Motsi and husband. "My sister Motsi sees clips online and goes, 'Why are you talking about that?' Marius laughs at me and goes, 'What would you do if I wasn't a topic on Loose Women?'"
GK Barry's Impact and Jungle Experience
Mabuse shared particularly warm words about fellow Loose Women panellist GK Barry, with whom she appeared on I'm A Celebrity in 2024. "Grace is so honest in how she lives life. She has that youthful joy, which I love. And she's hilarious as hell," Mabuse said. "We had beautiful conversations and I learned a lot about being vulnerable. Everyone's going through something - that's what I learned."
Reflecting on her jungle experience as a new mother, Mabuse admitted it was difficult leaving her baby but provided a much-needed reset. "I was under the impression I could do it all, but you can't, you burn out," she revealed. "I was so tired and the jungle gave me a total reset. Dean McCullough did a lot of the trials. I didn't do much for the first week except sleep."
Motherhood and Career Balance
The dancer spoke candidly about how motherhood has changed her perspective. "She's the reason I do everything. I want to be a good role model," Mabuse said of her daughter. "I want to make sure her relationships with women, and men, are strong, and I hope when she's older she can come to me about literally anything."
Despite her busy schedule that includes judging on Ireland's Dancing With The Stars alongside her Loose Women commitments, Mabuse emphasized the importance of "me-time." "I love being a mum but it's so nice," she said about her weekly trips to Dublin. "There's a flight attendant on Aer Lingus who knows me at this point - and gives me an upgrade every week. I love working on the show as I've watched people dance, then I get back to the hotel and have a bath and a wine and it's heaven."
International Women's Day Reflections
As International Women's Day approaches on March 8th, Mabuse reflected on its significance. "So important. It took so long in my native South Africa for women to even have the right to vote," she noted. "We're mums, sisters, aunts, professionals - we deserve to be celebrated. Sometimes my husband Marius says, 'I don't know how you do it.' I say, 'Babe, it's because I'm a woman.'"
Mabuse continues to balance multiple television roles while prioritizing her family life, finding support and valuable lessons from her fellow Loose Women colleagues along the way.
