Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse has revealed her husband has his own specific tactics to make sure her celebrity partners don’t get any ideas when they’re dancing with her.
Oti is married to fellow dancer Marius Iepure, who can be rather overprotective when Strictly rolls around each year.
She told Loose Women on Wednesday: “He is a very macho man, has a deep voice and a European accent and he’s always like, ’just don’t touch my wife unless you have to. Unless you really have to, don’t do it’. And then he gives them that firm handshake. I’m like, ‘I see what you’re doing’.”
Open Image Modal
Oti Mabuse on Loose Women
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Admitting she “loves it” and finds it “sexy” to see her husband behaving so “threateningly” towards the celebs (which is kind of a lot, but OK...), Oti continued: “I don’t even stop him.
“I remember when he met Graeme [Swann, her most recent Strictly partner]... Graeme is one of my best friends now, but he knew nothing about me.
“He came with a big bouquet of flowers and said, ‘Oti, I am so excited for our journey’, and out of nowhere my husband just came in, took the whole bouquet out and was like, ‘She’s allergic to flowers’.
“It works for him, but I never got flowers again!”
During its time on our screens, Strictly has become synonymous with romances blossoming between the professionals and their celebrity partners.
Professional dancer Giovanni Pernice is also now dating Pussycat Dolls performer Ashley Roberts, though they weren’t actually partnered together on the show.
Loose Women airs every weekday from 12.30pm on ITV. Watch Oti’s full interview below:
13 times the Strictly "curse" struck
Rachel Riley(01 of13)
Open Image Modal
The Countdown presenter announced her split from her husband just weeks after her stint on the show. In 2014, she and pro dancer Pasha Kovalev confirmed they were dating, though she remained insistent that Strictly had nothing to do with her marriage split.
Susanna's marriage ended in February 2014, weeks after she finished as a runner-up in the competition. The Good Morning Britain anchor continued to live with her ex, Dominic Cotton, and their two sons in the months that followed. (credit:Ian West/PA Archive)
Louise Redknapp(03 of13)
Open Image Modal
After reaching the final of the 2016 series, Louise began to be plagued with rumours her 19-year marriage to former footballer Jamie Redknapp was on the rocks. Months later, the couple confirmed they had gone their separate ways. (credit:Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment)
Joe Calzaghe(04 of13)
Open Image Modal
Boxer Joe and pro dancer Kristina Rihanoff initally denied romance rumours when they were paired together in 2009. However Joe split from his girlfriend just weeks later. Joe and Kristina later confirmed that they were a couple, before splitting after four years together. (credit:Mark Cuthbert via Getty Images)
Ben Cohen(05 of13)
Open Image Modal
While on the show, Ben denied rumours that he was romancing his pro partner Kristina, and later split from his wife Abby. He and Kristina went on to confirm their relationship but remained insistent it had only begun after the breakdown of his marriage. The couple now have a child together. (credit:Steve Thorne via Getty Images)
Matt Di Angelo(06 of13)
Open Image Modal
The EastEnders star reportedly first hooked up with Flavia Cacace during their time dancing together on the 2008 series – on which Flavia's then-boyfriend Vincent Simone was also a dancer. However, they weren't together for long... (credit:Jon Furniss via Getty Images)
Jimi Mistry(07 of13)
Open Image Modal
Just a year after getting together with Matt, Flavia ended the relationship after finding love with her new dance partner Jimi. The couple married in 2013. (credit:Dave Hogan via Getty Images)
Natasha Kaplinsky (08 of13)
Open Image Modal
Newsreader Natasha and Brendan were plagued by romance rumours when they were paired up for the first ever series of Strictly in 2004. Despite being insistent that they were just friends, Natasha and Brendan both split from their partners shortly after winning the series. (credit:MJ Kim via Getty Images)
Daisy Lowe(09 of13)
Open Image Modal
Daisy split from her boyfriend Bradley "Frankie" Wade during her stint on Strictly in 2016. The relationship was still quite new and the pair struggled to find the time to see each other with her commitments to the show. (credit:PA Archive/PA Images)
Sunetra Sarker(10 of13)
Open Image Modal
Sunetra split from her husband of 10 years just before filming for the 2014 series began. (credit:Eamonn M. McCormack via Getty Images)
Dani Harmer (11 of13)
Open Image Modal
Tracey Beaker star Dani split from her boyfriend just days after filming began in 2012. (credit:John Phillips via Getty Images)
Helen George(12 of13)
Open Image Modal
Just after Helen announced she was one of the 2015 contestants, the Call The Midwife actor revealed she was splitting from her husband of four years, Oliver Boot. (credit:Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment)
Georgia May Foote(13 of13)
Open Image Modal
Georgia entered Strictly while in a relationship with former Coronation Street co-star Sean Ward. However, just after the series ended, the couple announced their split, and it wasn't long before she embarked on a relationship with dance partner Giovanni Pernice. They eventually broke up after less than a year together. (credit:Ian West/PA Archive)