Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse was warned by doctors that she had to make changes for the sake of her health after fearing she could develop type 2 diabetes like her parents. The 45-year-old South African dancer had not been "feeling comfortable with myself" and underwent a health assessment which revealed inflammation and high cortisol levels.
Doctor's Warning After Full-Body Check-Up
Motsi told Women's Health UK: "We did a full-body check-up and my doctor said, 'Mrs Mabuse, you can't continue like this.'"
She added: "My parents and grandparents have type 2 diabetes and I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant, and my doctor said, 'The numbers show that you're at risk.' He said, 'If you want to stay healthy in the long term, we need to make some changes.'"
Perimenopause Symptoms Impact Dancing
Motsi had been developing symptoms of perimenopause since the start of 2025, which left her feeling changeable and even impacted her dancing. She explained: "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 continued: "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."
Empathy for Women Using Weight-Loss Drugs
As a result, the star, who was ordered to "lose weight" as a young dancer, would never judge another woman who felt the need to use weight-loss drugs to slim down – but she is battling to accept her curves.
She said: "I have a deep sense of empathy and pain for women because they're never going to get it right. Women are shamed all their lives and I'm not here to shame anyone. I have very close friends who need the help of GLP-1 and I'm not going to make them feel guilty…"
"For me, this journey was never about becoming smaller. It was about becoming stronger. That's my message to women: live your life. Do what you need to do to get healthy. You don't owe anyone an explanation."
She added: "Every dancer has had that conversation with a trainer who says 'lose weight' and it's the most painful thing you'll ever hear. [As I grew older] I had to learn to accept that my body wasn't the body of an athlete dancer any more and it would never look like it did…"
"But I don't think there will be a [time] in my life when I'll say, 'This is it! I've arrived!' [Even now] I have to remind myself to have love for my body."
The full interview is available in the September issue of Women's Health UK.
