Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse has opened up about making significant changes to her lifestyle after a doctor warned her she "couldn't continue" as she was.
The 45-year-old professional dancer, who replaced Darcey Bussell on the judging panel in 2019, is preparing to return for the 2026 series of the BBC One dance competition, marking her eighth year on the programme.
Perimenopause symptoms and health assessment
Despite years of dancing, Motsi has had to implement changes to her routine for both her mind and body. She has spoken about the impact of perimenopause after she started experiencing symptoms last year, affecting her both physically and mentally over the last 12 months.
She told Women's Health UK in a new interview: "I'd go: 'Which Motsi am I meeting today? Is it the one who's going to make me cry? Is it the one who's happy? Is it the one who doesn't want to see anyone?'."
She added: "You wake up every day discovering a new side of yourself. That's menopause…I noticed a complete shift in my energy levels and I started having pain in my knees. I had moments when I thought, 'I'm not feeling [okay] in my body, I'm not comfortable with myself'…I love dancing with my husband, I love moving – and I couldn't do that any more. It was making me unhappy."
Doctor's warning and family history
Motsi also had a health assessment, which showed a range of issues, including high cortisol and inflammation. The tests concluded she was at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition where the body either does not make enough insulin or the insulin it makes does not work properly.
She recalled: "We did a full-body check-up and my doctor said, 'Mrs Mabuse, you can't continue like this!'" She noted that her parents and grandparents have Type 2 diabetes and she had gestational diabetes when pregnant. Her doctor told her: "The numbers show that you're at risk. If you want to stay healthy in the long term, we need to make some changes."
Turning to her sister for support
After receiving the health update, the South African-born dancer turned to her younger sister Phemelo for help. "My sister is very much into training – Ironmans, marathons, swimming – so I knew she was the right person to get motivation from," she told the publication. "I just said, 'Girl, I can't move'."
Following her sister's advice to go outside for a walk, gradually building up the time each time, the daily walks became a habit. She also started solo strength training sessions with her personal trainer Dirk Berresheim, which include 60 minutes of incline walking.
Motsi Mabuse's full interview is available in the September issue of Women's Health UK.
