Who is Oti Mabuse married to and does she have children?

Oti Mabuse has gone from Strictly Come Dancing professional to debuting as a new Dancing on Ice judge in 2022 but who is she married to and do they have children?

Earlier this year Oti Mabuse replaced John Barrowman as a judge on ITV’s Dancing on Ice and the popular professional dancer has already made her mark as a wonderful addition to the panel since Dancing on Ice started. And she’s no stranger to competition success herself, having become the first pro to win Strictly twice in a row. Sadly, it’s thought that the 2021 series of the hit BBC show will be the last for her before Oti leaves the series. Though as fans continue to be enthralled by her on ITV, there are more than a few questions which might spring to mind.

After all, who is Oti Mabuse married to, does she have children and what is her debut book about? We reveal all you need to know about the Strictly star and Dancing on Ice judge...

Who is Oti Mabuse married to?

Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse is married to Romanian-born professional dancer Marius Iepure. The two are both currently involved in teaching at the Oti Mabuse Dance Studio together, with the website proclaiming their desire to inspire dances of all ages to “pursue their passion for dancing” under the professional guidance of experts.

Whilst eagle-eyed Strictly fans might even have caught a sneaky glimpse of Marius as he reportedly performed as a backing dancer on the hit show back in 2017. 

According to The Sun, Oti and Marius first met at a dance trial in Germany where Oti’s older sister Motsi Mabuse currently lives with her husband and daughter. Oti and Marius won the German National Show Dance Championships together and also came in second place in the World Latin Championships.

After romance blossomed between the dancing couple, Marius is said to have proposed to Oti on his birthday in 2014. Seemingly not able to contain their excitement and wanting to start their married life together as soon as possible, their wedding was held the same year. 

Taking to Instagram in December 2020, Oti described Marius as her “absolute rock” in a heartfelt post. Here the dancer thanked him for all his support throughout her time on Strictly during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he ran the dance studio and looked after their dog Leo. 

She declared, “Last one and definitely not least! To my husband 💚 MY ABSOLUTE ROCK! You’ve been there for me through all of it and more running the school through lockdown, being a friend, husband, and taking care of Leo has meant everything!”

Oti went on to reflect on how much her husband had inspired her to “keep going” and just how much they bring to each other’s lives.

“You made my world a better place on every occasion, you reminded me to keep going, of who I am and what we mean to each other 💛💛💛,” she continued. “[T]hese cuddles or moments I’ll cherish forever 🌟 love you to the moon and back @mariusiepure.”

Does Oti Mabuse have children?

Oti Mabuse and her husband Marius Iepure currently don’t have children, though it’s believed that having a baby together is part of the loved-up couple’s future plans. As reported by Hello!, Oti opened up to Fabulous magazine back in 2020 about the prospect of her and Marius feeling the time is right to grow their family. 

"One day we’ll probably wake up and be like, 'It's time!'" she reportedly explained. "At some point I'll want to give my nieces a few cousins, but it's just not necessary at the moment."

Instead, Oti shared, she was very much focused on her career - and she’s certainly gone from success to success having now made her Dancing on Ice judging debut. 

"I was a baby for the past five years in this country and now I'm learning how to walk on my own," she went on to say. "For now, I'm seeing how far I can take my career." 

So whilst Oti and Marius might not have any children just yet, the pro dancer has plenty of time to enjoy being a devoted auntie until such a time when or if she and Marius make their own special announcement.  

What is Oti Mabuse’s book about?

With so many fans looking up to her, it’s perhaps no surprise that Oti Mabuse has branched out in her career in recent years. As well as flexing her dancing muscles, she also showcased her creative writing skills with her debut children’s book, The Bird Jive, in May last year. The beautifully illustrated book aims to teach young readers a simple 10-step dance routine and celebrates expression, dance and movement. 

“She’s finally here!” Oti announced excitedly on her Instagram. “My first ever children’s dance book with @walkerbooksuk I’ve always had a passion for children, we grew up around them because my mom was a nursery school teacher ❤️ and has inspired me to mix my love for dance and education together!”

And family wasn’t far from Oti’s mind when it came to The Bird Jive as she added, “Thank you @walkerbooksuk for this opportunity 💛 I cannot wait for you all to read it. I love it so much and so proud of it - hope your little do too. I also just realised that my nieces and nephews now can be proud to read aunties books that she wrote”. 

Whether it's dancing, judging or writing, it seems Oti Mabuse can turn her hand to anything!