Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse showed little sympathy when her dance partner Bill Bailey complained about painful blisters during training. The South African-born dancer, who had little tolerance for grievances, responded with a blunt two-word reaction: 'So what?'
Bill, who became Strictly's oldest champion at 55 in 2020, revealed the exchange on Matt Baker's Petcast. He explained that the suede-soled dance shoes caused severe blisters, saying, 'I'd never worn these tight dance shoes before. There's no sole to them. There's nothing between your foot and the floor.'
Bill's Blister Complaint Met with Tough Love
When Bill showed Oti his blisters, she simply said, 'Come on.' He continued, 'Yeah, but I got a blister,' and she deadpanned, 'So what?' Bill replied, 'Yeah, fair enough ... I won't complain ever again.'
Despite the discomfort, Bill and Oti delivered a stunning performance in the final of the Covid-affected 18th series. They scored 88 out of 90 points, tying with HRVY and Maisie Smith, before winning the public vote.
A Historic Victory for Oti
The win made Oti the first professional to defend the glitterball trophy, having won the previous year with Kelvin Fletcher. Bill lost a stone and a half during rehearsals. The final also featured a video message from Queen Camilla, praising the show for cheering the nation, and tributes from Paul McCartney, Idris Elba, and others.
Bill's dedication paid off, proving that every blister was worth it for a memorable series.
