Tensions flared on the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor as professional dancer Dianne Buswell, expecting her first child with partner Joe Sugg, found herself in a heated exchange with judge Motsi Mabuse. The drama unfolded during Saturday night’s show after Motsi’s controversial critique of Dianne and her celebrity partner, Stefan Dennis, sparked outrage among fans and left Dianne visibly rattled, according to a body language expert.
Dianne, 36, and Stefan, 66—the oldest contestant in this year’s competition—delivered a spirited Cha Cha to Give It Up by KC and The Sunshine Band. Despite their undeniable chemistry, the performance earned a modest 17 points from the judges, with Motsi pointing out several minor missteps in their routine. While acknowledging their strong partnership, the 44-year-old judge didn’t hold back, urging the pair to “rehearse more” to polish their performance.
The comment ignited a firestorm. As the audience erupted in boos, Dianne, clearly stung, shot back with a sharp retort: “I don’t know how much more we can rehearse, Motsi!” Undeterred, Motsi doubled down, insisting, “Find a way, I don’t know, we have to get one performance without those tiny, tiny creepers in there.”
Body language expert Judi James, speaking exclusively to Paddy Power Games, analyzed Dianne’s reaction, describing Motsi’s remark as “the final straw” for the pregnant pro. “Dianne performed an overkill smile that was more an angry baring of the teeth than an expression of pleasure,” James noted. “She collapsed from the waist in a gesture of exhaustion.” As Dianne straightened, her posture told a story of frustration: one hand balled into a fist on her hip, a subtle tongue-poke signaling her rejection of Motsi’s critique. “Dianne is a grafter, and the comment appeared wounding,” James added.
The tension didn’t end there. During the results show, Dianne’s body language suggested she was bracing for elimination. “Her eye gaze was aimed in a reflective direction, and her closed-lip smile was a ‘bravado’ smile,” James observed, hinting at the emotional toll of the night.
Motsi’s comment didn’t just ruffle Dianne—it sparked a wave of backlash from Strictly fans on social media. Taking to X, viewers slammed the judge’s remarks as unfair and insensitive. “Such a horrible comment to make. That will make people think they haven’t put the time in,” one user fumed. Another pointed out the show’s rumored rehearsal limits, writing, “I thought Strictly capped the amount of hours they could rehearse to 8 hours a day? So how can the judges be giving out comments like ‘you need to rehearse more’ when they’ve been doing their 8 hours a day… every day. They aren’t allowed.”
A third fan jumped to the defense of Dianne and Stefan, arguing, “Telling the eldest contestant with the pregnant pro to rehearse more when they’ve been doing long days, and it’s clear it was because of nerves and not lack of rehearsal, is an extremely unfair thing to say.”
The fiery exchange has left fans buzzing and the Strictly community divided. Was Motsi’s critique a fair push for perfection, or did it cross a line, especially given Dianne’s pregnancy and Stefan’s age? As the competition heats up, all eyes will be on Dianne and Stefan to see how they bounce back—and whether this clash with Motsi will fuel their next performance or cast a shadow over their Strictly journey.