Strictly’s Oti Mabuse admits she didn’t think Bill Bailey would take the show ‘seriously’

They recently scored a 10 from head judge Shirley Ballas for their sensational Couple’s Choice routine to Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight.

And Strictly Come Dancing pro Oti Mabuse has admitted that she didn’t think celebrity partner Bill Bailey would take the show ‘seriously’.

Talking on Thursday’s episode of This Morning, the professional dancer, 30, revealed that she was ‘shocked’ and ‘proud’ after getting their highest score yet on Saturday.

Oti said: ‘I didn’t know if he [Bill] was going to take it seriously or not but I knew if they were going to partner him with me, he didn’t have a choice. But Bill is a hard worker.’

Talking about their high score, Oti admitted that despite their seemingly perfect routine on Saturday, the rehearsals hadn’t gone to plan.

She said: ‘I was so proud and so shocked, and that routine only worked that one time on live TV. He was struggling that day, from Friday until Saturday, even in the dress run.’

To which Bill added: ‘We were overcome with relief, there was so much in that routine, briefcase, newspaper, a phone, boxing, everything, it was all going on. And in the dress run I had the newspaper the wrong way, I did the steps wrong.’

Elsewhere during the chat, Oti also issued an update about her sister Motsi Mabuse who has been temporarily replaced by Anton Du Beke on the judging panel.

Motsi, 39, is in the middle of isolating for 14 days after rushing home to Germany due to her dance school being ‘targeted’. 

Talking about her sister, Oti said: ‘She’s at home, she’s isolating, she healthy and she wishes everyone well. She’s happy Anton is there, she thinks he is doing an amazing job.’

During the interview, Bill admitted that he is ‘sleeping better’ and is feeling ‘more energised’ due to the gruelling dance rehearsals.

He said: ‘I’ve always liked doing outdoors stuff, cycling, walking, paddle-boarding… but this really takes it to the next level because dancing really engages every part of your body, it’s extraordinary.’

It comes after Bill admitted he’s even surprised himself, as he reflected on his time on the show in an interview with The Guardian‘s G2 Magazine on Thursday. 

Saying he felt it was ‘extraordinary’ he’s done so well so far, the comedian, 55, admitted: ‘People would assume I wouldn’t be able to even keep up with the training, but I’ve surprised myself.

‘I do a routine, watch it back and think: what happened there? I can’t quite believe I’m able to do it.’

Looking back at his childhood, Bill explained to the publication that his mother loved ballroom dancing and had him attend a few lessons as a pre-teen.

However things didn’t go well at the time, as Bill claimed: ‘I was a self-conscious 12-year-old boy. I thought: “I can’t do this…” and then a mere four and a half decades later, here I am!’

Bill scored his first ten from the judges and wowed viewers with his sensational Couple’s Choice routine on Saturday night.

And Bill was still on cloud nine when he dropped by Strictly’s spin off show It Takes Two on Tuesday night.

Appearing alongside his pro partner Oti, the funnyman told host Zoe Ball it was ‘gratifying’ that Strictly fans had realised his potential on the show. 

‘People assumed I would be a comedy addition to the show and I was going to dress up in silly costumes and be no good at it,’ the comedian pointed out.

‘It’s quite gratifying for people to realise that I am taking this seriously, I am giving it 100 percent because I want to do justice to the dance and Oti’s hard work and also to the show, this is about dance!’

Bill and Oti earned a joint second spot on the leaderboard on Saturday with their hip hop inspired routine to Rapper’s Delight by The Sugarhill Gang.

The inspired routine was scored a 10 by head judge Shirley Ballas, a nine from Motsi Mabuse’s stand-in Anton DuBeke, and an 8 from the notoriously hard to please Craig Revel-Horwood.