Motsi Mabuse: I don’t know if I’m being paid equally to the other Strictly judges

The new judge says she believes it is an "honour" to be on the show 
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Tobi Akingbade2 September 2019
The Weekender

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Strictly Come Dancing’s Motsi Mabuse has revealed that she "doesn't know" if she is paid equally to her co-stars - and says she "doesn't care" about the salary.

The professional dancer will be taking the place of Darcey Bussell when the series launches this weekend, and will sit alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and head judge Shirley Ballas.

But when asked if she knew if she will receive the same salary, Mabuse said that it "doesn't concern" her as it is an "honour" to appear on the show.

Speaking to Radio Times, she said: “I don’t know” before adding, “I didn’t ask.”

Colleagues: Mabuse with head judge Shirley Ballas
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She admitted: “I don’t care, because, for me, it’s just such an honour being here. It doesn’t concern me right now. I’m just concentrating on doing a good job.”

However, Mabuse, whose sister Oti is a regular dancer on the hit BBC show, admitted that she did receive equal pay when she appeared on Let's Dance in Germany.

“I would say yes”, she said, when asked about equal pay on Strictly's German counterpart. “It took almost eight years, you know, to me literally, last year, saying, “Guys, what’s happening?” I’m involved because I think it’s important.

“But for now, I’m just coming in [to Strictly] and I can’t come in with fireballs.”

New venture: Mabuse is set to join Strictly Come Dancing
PA

Mabuse has been a judge on Let’s Dance since 2011, after first competing on the show as a professional dancer in 2007.

Mabuse was recently forced to backtrack on a statement she made about Blackpool, a key location for British ballroom dancing.

The dancing expert apologised to the seaside town on the north-west coast of England after branding it “ugly” in her autobiography.

Strictly Come Dancing 2019 Launch - In pictures

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Her visit to the resort took place in 1988 and writing in her book in 2014, she said: "Every dancer knows the town, which is the ugliest that I had ever seen."

Backtracking on her previous statement, Mabuse said at the Strictly red carpet launch last week: "Oh come on guys give a girl a break! It was 20 years ago I was young and innocent.

“Blackpool is absolutely huge in Strictly but when you come from South Africa and you have your first impressions and you arrive in Blackpool, well it's different.

"It's different, let's put it that way. But what I'll also say, if you walk into the ballroom it's absolutely spectacular."

Asked whether she felt nervous about revisiting Blackpool for the iconic Strictly episode, Mabuse joked: "Because I'm going to get a boycott? No, I'm cool. What is life about? Forgiving, come on!"

She added to The Sun last Monday: "I'm looking forward to going back to Blackpool because there are such strong memories in my head."

The new issue of Radio Times is out now.

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