STRICTLY’S Motsi Mabuse is facing legal action from her ex-husband after she accused him of being controlling in her autobiography.
Timo Kulczak says Motsi’s claims that he stopped her having a baby, restricted her access to money and decided what she ate are “simply not true” and “just to push book sales”.
Strictly’s Motsi Mabuse is facing legal action from her ex-husband after she accused him of being controlling in her autobiography
Ex-hubby Timo Kulczak was accused of stopping her from having a baby, restricting her access to money and deciding what she ate
He accused her of not warning him she was publishing it despite their being in friendly contact since their split.
Timo, 45, said from his Hamburg home: “She did something bad to me and my family and I can’t accept that.
“Now I have reached a point whereby I cannot just let things stand as they are when something is put out there in public and it is simply not true.”
His lawyer Samy Hammad said: “When false claims are made, this is simply not OK and, at this point, Mrs Mabuse has the duty, the moral and the ethical duty, to correct it and set the record straight.”
In Finding My Own Rhythm: My Story, Strictly judge Motsi, 41, alleges that during their 11-marriage Timo paid her an allowance from what she earned through her dance teaching and TV appearances.
She also says Timo turned down her pleas to have a baby or run a dance school together and refused to split up with her — despite her numerous pleas.
The couple, who met at a dance tournament in England, married in 2003.
She moved to Germany from her native South Africa aged 18 to be with him.
They divorced in 2014, he thought amicably. He said: “We hugged each other and had tears in our eyes. There was no ‘War of the Roses’, no bad blood.
“I was extremely surprised by what she had written. I understand that she wants to make the book interesting, but not with her doing it at my expense.”
After its publication in the summer he asked Motsi to set the record straight with a clarification on her social media but she refused and told him to speak to her lawyer.
‘A loving and caring husband’
Timo said: “I am deeply disappointed and hurt. Looking back, I remember a very good and positive and happy time that simply cannot be compared to some of the claims about me that have now come to light.
“In the marriage we supported each other and we really enjoyed the time together.
“I don’t live a public life now and that’s my choice. When Motsi joined Strictly I was contacted by lots of magazines asking for interviews with me but I declined and never said anything about our time together.
“I thought we had a very happy marriage, in general, and there was no idea of any controlling behaviour.”
Timo said he and his family helped Motsi settle in Germany.
He added: “I was a loving and caring husband who was always by her side at any time, when she needed help.
“I don’t feel I was controlling, I see all of what I did as organising and being helpful to her.
“When Motsi came here from South Africa she didn’t know anyone, she didn’t have a driver’s licence and couldn’t speak German.
“This meant I and my family had to give her a lot of support and help to enable her to settle and build a life.
“We met at a dance tournament in England and I fell in love with her.
“If Motsi came into a room she could immediately put you in a good mood, it was like sunshine when she was around.”
Motsi alongside fellow Strictly judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel-Horwood
Timo’s lawyer claims he is trying to seek an ‘amicable agreement’ with his ex-wife
Timo and Motsi became national champions in Germany and, he added, she “was very famous here for her television work (on Let’s Dance).”
He added: “I could have been in front of the cameras but I chose not to.
“So while Motsi was always out there on the red carpet, I would be taking the backstage route.”
In 2015, Motsi remarried after falling in love with her new dance partner Evgenij — they got together after Timo stopped competing.
Timo’s lawyer, Mr Hammad, added: “We can take legal action in Germany, and in England.
“It depends on how things proceed, on how the other side representing Ms Mabuse responds.
“We are striving to reach an amicable agreement.”
But he added: “Motsi Mabuse is a role model for millions of women and is committed to female empowerment.
“But I think it’s morally and ethically reprehensible to present yourself as a victim of marriage to boost the sales of your book.
“This behaviour is extremely unfair to my client. Ms Mabuse has a moral and legal obligation to correct that.”
