Motsi Mabuse has opened up on the responsibility she feels as a black woman on a primetime TV show like Strictly Come Dancing.
The 39-year-old dancer and Strictly judge explained to Woman & Home: ‘I am one of the very few black people in Germany on TV, and on the BBC.
‘I understand my responsibility of representing black people and I don’t take it for granted.’
She also opened up about the renewed conversations around the Black Lives Matter movement, hoping it will bring about real change.
Motsi explained: ‘It’s good that people are having the Black Lives Matter conversation. It’s important this is not just a trend.
‘Being black is not a hashtag. I want to see sustainable and long-term change, not just talk.’
This year’s series of Strictly also saw the first same-sex couple take to the floor as Nicola Adams was partnered by Katya Jones, as well as the main cast of dancers being made up of professionals from around the world, including Motsi’s sister Oti Mabuse and Johannes Radebe.
Motsi added: ‘Having Johannes, Oti and myself on the show, bringing diversity, having dancers from Russia, Spain, China, and now having a same-sex couple, is very important. It’s great to see this inclusiveness on the show.’
The judge returned to the show on Saturday after two weeks self-isolating after she had to return home to Germany when her dance school was targeted in a break-in.
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Motsi had quarantine for two weeks on her return as a precaution, with Anton du Beke covering for her as a judge until her return.
Motsi had shared an image of the broken glass on the door of her dance school on November 13, writing: ‘Unfortunately we have no good news.
‘Someone tried to break into our school. We are working with the police to solve this crime,’ she wrote.
‘We know we have been targeted on purpose and we will improve security in our school so that this will not happen again.’
Motsi Mabuse’s full interview is available in Woman & Home’s January 2021 issue.
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MORE : Strictly Come Dancing 2020: Viewers celebrate judge Motsi Mabuse’s return after absence
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The post Strictly 2020: Motsi Mabuse on ‘responsibility’ of being a black woman on TV: ‘I don’t take it for granted’ first appeared on My Celebrity Life.