Louie Spence has hit out at Motsi Mabuse’s hiring on Strictly Come Dancing (Picture: Splash)

Strictly Come Dancing’s new judge Motsi Mabuse is ‘box ticking’ according to choreographer Louie Spence.

Louie, best known for appearing in the reality show Pineapple Dance Studios in 2010, calling the former dance champion a ‘nobody’ and suggested that current dancer Anton Du Beke would have been better for the job.

The BBC has hit back and called his comments ‘insulting’.

He told The Mirror: ‘She isn’t a celebrity. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t put Anton there – everyone loves him as a pro dancer on the show – unless it was because they wanted another woman on the panel.




‘Also, they’ve got somebody of colour, which is being diverse. They like to tick every box. I’m not saying she’s not credible, but maybe that’s why they chose her.’

He added that TV shows generally include people who ‘don’t tick the box for the show, but they tick the box for the diversity or the inclusive and all that c**p.

‘But sometimes maybe people aren’t right for it. Just choose the right people.’

Louie Spence says Strictly should ‘just choose the right people’ (Picture: ITV/REX)

A BBC spokesperson said: ‘Motsi got the job because she was the best candidate. Any suggestion to the contrary is completely wrong and insulting.’

She will replace Darcey Bussell, who quit the BBC series earlier this year.

Motsi, 38, is a former German Latin champion and South African champion, and is already an established judge on Germany’s version of Strictly, Let’s Dance.

The dancer said of joining the show: ‘I am absolutely overjoyed to be joining the Strictly judging panel. I have so much respect and admiration for the other three judges and hope to add my own bit of sparkle to the show. I can’t wait to get started!’

Charlotte Moore, director of BBC content, added: ‘Motsi is a brilliant addition to the show.

‘She is a wonderful dancer in her own right and already has years of experience as a judge under her belt. We’re all looking forward to welcoming her to the Strictly family.’

A spokesperson said: ‘Motsi got the job because she was the best candidate. Any suggestion to the contrary is completely wrong and insulting.’

Celebs for this year’s series are slowly being revealed with comedian Chris Ramsey, CBBC star Karim Zeroual, Coronation Street actress Catherine Tyledesley, sports presenter Mike Bushell, EastEnders star Emma Barton, former England goalkeeper David James and vlogger Saffron Barker already in the line-up.

Strictly Come Dancing is set to return to BBC One later this year.

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