Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse has revealed the heartbreaking reason she was forced to pull out of multiple television appearances, including the ITV show Loose Women. The dancer, who is expecting her second child with husband Marius Lepure, shared a candid pregnancy update during Thursday's episode of Loose Women, admitting that her second pregnancy has been far more challenging than the first.
A Difficult Second Pregnancy
Speaking to her fellow panellists, Oti said: "It's been a journey I would have to say. It's been completely different to the first time. The first one I was in heaven - I was doing job after job, I was in my high heels. Now I'm sleeping, I'm sick and I have a bucket next to my bed." She added: "I would wake up feeling like I did the London Marathon and if I do the London Marathon, just know I've been held hostage. It was hectic and you just don't feel like yourself anymore."
Turning Down Work Opportunities
The former pro dancer explained that severe sickness and fatigue forced her to decline multiple TV jobs, including appearances on Loose Women. "It was sickness, it was fatigue. It's also your ambition as a woman. I'm very ambitious and I want to take on all the work opportunities that I have but it made me so emotional and I was crying when I had to pull out of so many jobs. I was supposed to come on Loose and I was just like I can't," she said.
Strict Medical Restrictions
Oti's first child, whose name has not been publicly shared, was born prematurely - ten weeks earlier than expected. The baby spent six weeks in neonatal intensive care. As a result, doctors have imposed strict rules for her second pregnancy. The star revealed she is not allowed to dance or go to the gym, and is limited to 150 minutes of exercise per week. "That has been the most heartbreaking thing," she admitted, explaining that dancing was a key part of her bond with her daughter. "My daughter and I's relationship was dancing. Also me throwing her up and running around, to see me not be able to do that and she just looks at me and says 'where is my mum' and I'm looking at her thinking 'I want to do these things but I can't' and that has been the most heartbreaking thing."
Loose Women airs weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
