Professional dancer Oti Mabuse has officially traded the bustle of London for the calmer countryside, moving to Berkshire earlier this year in search of what she describes as a “healthier, more grounded lifestyle” for her growing family. The former Strictly Come Dancing star and her husband, Romanian-German Latin and ballroom dancer Marius Iepure, now live in a quaint village near Reading with their baby girl, whom they welcomed in November 2023.

According to Oti, the birth of their daughter came with intense challenges. She later revealed that she endured a gruelling 16-hour labour, and the baby arrived two months premature, a period she described as “emotionally overwhelming yet miraculous” (source: House Beautiful, Hello! Magazine). On her upcoming appearance on The Wheel (airing November 15), Oti reflects on how becoming a mother radically reshaped her priorities—ultimately prompting the family’s departure from London.

A Move Motivated by Stability and Well-Being

Oti explained that after months of consideration, she and Marius decided to relocate to Berkshire in the spring of 2025. The move, she told House Beautiful magazine, was driven entirely by their daughter’s future.

“Better schools, better environment, better hospitals — simple as that,” she said (House Beautiful, May 2025).

The couple now live in an 18th-century detached home, a charming property tucked away “out in the sticks,” surrounded by fields and small village life. While describing the house as “cute” and “really old — proper old,” Oti also calls it her sanctuary.

“It’s where I’m most relaxed, most myself, and where we’re making all our memories as a little family,” she said.
Still, with a laugh, she added that living in an older property means “there’s always something to clean every single day.”

The move mirrors a broader trend among public figures seeking calmer surroundings outside major cities (as reported by The Guardian and BBC News), especially after becoming parents.

Oti Mabuse on Body Image and Self-Worth

In interviews throughout the year, including Lorraine and Women’s Health UK, Oti has spoken candidly about the pressure many professional dancers feel regarding body image. She admits to having had a “toxic relationship” with her body during her competitive years.

Now, motherhood has shifted her mindset:

“No, you are good. You are perfect. You have had a baby,” she reminds herself.

She credits her two-year-old daughter for helping her redefine what confidence and self-worth mean.

Her Flower Allergy — and the Candle-Filled House

Another charming detail Oti often shares is her allergy to flowers, something she says the public finds surprising. In a light-hearted video posted to Instagram during the lockdown, she playfully showed off a bouquet gifted by her husband, admitting:

“I love them, but I can’t touch them — I’m allergic.”

Her allergy has even led to memorable moments on Strictly Come Dancing. Speaking to The Express (source: Daily Express, though often secondary reporting), she recalled how Marius once intercepted a bouquet brought by her 2018 dance partner Graeme Swann, who had no idea about her allergy.

“Out of nowhere my husband came in, grabbed the entire bouquet, and said: ‘She’s allergic to flowers,’” she recounted.
On Loose Women, she joked that she found the protective gesture “sexy,” adding:
“When your man is threatening your dance partner? I love it!”

Because she can’t receive flowers, friends and colleagues now shower her with candles — lots of candles.

“They’re literally all over the house,” she told House Beautiful, adding that she loves making her home warm, cosy, and beautifully scented.

Life Today: Slower, Softer, and Family-Focused

Since moving, Oti has embraced a slower pace of life. In interviews with Hello! Magazine and People, she said she finally feels she has found balance between her career and her personal life.

She continues to work as a TV presenter, judge, and performer, but now returns each day to what she calls:

“My safe place — the home where my little girl is growing up.”