Oti Mabuse says Darcey Bussell’s replacement on Strictly needs to be ‘angelic’

Oti Mabuse says Darcey Bussell’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ replacement needs to be "angelic" like her.
The 28-year-old professional dancer said the 49-year-old retired ballerina – who has quit the BBC One Latin and ballroom show after judging for seven series – had a unique presence and whoever follows her in the panel will need to have the knowledge to back their position up.
Oti told the Evening Standard: "Darcey was so amazing. What she bought was this kind of angelic side of things. Whoever gets it has to show they know what they’re talking about."
‘The Greatest Dancer’ captain is currently preparing for the London run of upcoming musical ‘Ain’t Misbehavin” which she choreographed herself and says she "shed a tear" when she saw her team perform so well after months of practice.
She said: "This is different because it’s not about ‘Strictly’ or ‘The Greatest Dancer’, it’s all about five people and I’m trying to get them not only to sing and not only to act but to dance.
"The first time I watched them I shed a tear. I couldn’t believe it came together after so many months of working on the choreography and rehearsals."
‘Ain’t Misbehavin” is inspired by the golden age of jazz music in the 1920s and ’30s, and Oit admitted she wants to add some of these funky steps into her own ‘Strictly’ routines.
She added: "I’m always singing the ‘Aint Misbehavin’ music in ‘Strictly’ rehearsals so I hope so, it’s not up to me but I can only hope."
Meanwhile, the stunner recently insisted she does not want to replace Darcey herself because she doesn’t want to give up being a performer on the programme.
She previously said: "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."