Oti Mabuse has ruled herself out of replacing Darcey Bussell on ‘Strictly Come Dancing.’
The 28-year-old professional dancer will not be taking over from the 49-year-old retired ballerina – who has quit the BBC One Latin show and ballroom after judging for seven series – because she does not want to give up being a performer on the programme.
When she was quizzed on ‘The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show’ about the speculation, Oti said: "No, no. no".
Host Zoe said: "You see now the thing is, you would be brilliant at it, but the only thing is it would mean that we wouldn’t get you on the dance floor."
To which ‘The Greatest Dancer’ captain replied: "Yeah, Yeah. I think the ‘Strictly’ audience is just like, ‘No, we’re not ready to let her go.’
"But you know I love dancing. I love coming to the rehearsals. I love being a part of the group, it’s a really special group to be a part of.
"There are no dancers like ‘Strictly’ dancers, how close we are.
"I think I would absolutely miss that and that part of it."
Darcey recently insisted she isn’t departing the programme due to "any upset or disagreement" and simply wants to focus on her "many other commitments in dance".
And the former show panellist – who became a full-time judge on the show’s 10th series in 2012 – recently gushed she felt it had been "a complete privilege" for her to have been part of the ‘Strictly’ team.
Shirley Ballas joined the ‘Strictly’ panel, taking over from former head judge Len Goodman, in September 2017.
Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood, who have been on the show since the first series in 2004, complete the current judging panel.
Oti Mabuse rules out replacing Darcey Bussell on Strictly Come Dancing
