Strictly star Motsi Mabuse has opened up about her struggles with her weight and self-image.
The gorgeous BBC judge has become a fan favourite with viewers due to her bubbly personality on the show.
However, off-camera, Motsi has been struggling with her own personal demons.
Opening up in a recent interview, Motsi confessed that she has secretly battled with low self-esteem for years.
Strictly star Motsi Mabuse on her self-image struggle
She told Prima Magazine: “As a professional dancer, my weight was a constant struggle, too. There’s so much focus not just on winning, but what you weigh.”
Motsi explained that her struggles began from a young age when her teachers would demand she slim down.
She said: “A teacher once told me to lose weight when I was only 50 kilos! Naturally, my body has changed since then, and my weight goes up and down.”
The TV judge then went on to confess that she doesn’t believe she will ever reach a point where she is happy with her appearance.
Motsi admitted: “I’ll never get to the stage where I think I look great, but I’m now much more compassionate towards myself. A healthy mind, body and soul is more important to being thin.”
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the interview, Motsi opened up about her love for dance and what helped spark her passion for the discipline.
She said that when she was around six, her mother “started offering Jane Fonda-type workout classes to women in our township”.
Motsi said her mum has “always been a doer and a maker” and she loved the “freedom it gave me”.
Motsi on her sister Oti’s exit
Last year, Motsi’s sister, Oti Mabuse, decided to quit Strictly for good.
Oti won the show in 2019 with soap star Kelvin Fletcher and in 2020 with comedian Bill Bailey.
Opening up about her sister’s exit, Motsi said that she will always “worry” about her choices.
I’ll never get to the stage where I think I look great, but I’m now much more compassionate towards myself.
Last week the new series of Strictly started with celebrity dancers Helen Skelton, Kym Marsh, Will Mellor, Kaye Adams, James Bye and Tony Adams.
Also joining them were Hamza Yassin, Fleur East, Molly Rainford, Ellie Taylor, Matt Goss, Tyler West, Ellie Simmonds, Jayde Adams and Richie Anderson.
Motsi took her seat on the judging panel alongside Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke.
Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly also returned as hosts of the 2022 series.
Read more: Strictly Come Dancing Contestants 2022: Is Jayde Adams related to Kaye Adams?
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