Oti Mabuse’s new show Romeo and Duet ‘facing axe after just one series’

Oti Mabuse‘s new show Romeo and Duet has reportedly been given the chop after one series.

The former Strictly Come Dancing professional, 31, joined the musical dating show for the launch in April.

However, it will not return as it failed to draw in a big audience, pulling in 890,000 last Saturday, the same number of people watching Chelsea Flower Show on BBC2 at the same time of 7pm.

End of the road? Oti Mabuse’s new show Romeo and Duet has reportedly been given the chop after one series

A TV insider told The Sun: ‘This will be gut-wrenching for Oti as it was her first solo presenting gig since quitting Strictly to pursue new opportunities.

‘Expectations were high for the programme as she is immensely popular with the public and Romeo & Duet was given a prime-time slot.

‘Rubbing salt in the wound is the fact that the series hasn’t even finished — the final episode airs this Saturday.’

Signed up: The former Strictly Come Dancing professional, 31, joined the musical dating show for the launch in April

An ITV spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Romeo and Duet has performed particularly well amongst our 16-34 audience and no decision has been made at this point on the future of the series. 

‘We are concentrating on the first series at present, which continues this weekend.’

It was announced in January that Oti would front the show on the channel each Saturday.

Presenting Debut: The dancer – who recently quit Strictly Come Dancing – returned to ITV viewers’ screens in April shortly after her stint as a Dancing On Ice judge

See also  Jamie Lee Curtis discusses her ride as Halloween's Laurie Strode at Vulture Festival

The programme sees singletons stand on a balcony as they are serenaded by potential love matches.

However, while they are able to hear the dulcet tones of their possible partners, they are unable to see them, with the singers given one song to entice the contestant down from the balcony so they can meet face-to-face.

Any pairs then head off on a duet-date to learn a song to perform together in an ultimate romantic love battle against the other couples, with one duo being crowned the winners.

Divided: Oti looked incredible as she flaunted her curves in a sparkly red mini dress on her first show while helping singletons find love through the medium of song

The show divided viewers after its launch in April, with some taking to Twitter to express their disappointment at the time.  

One person wrote: ‘#romeoandduet has got to be the worst thing I have seen on TV for a while. Concept is god awful and gone backwards in terms of not judging people by the way they look. @itv I’m not sure this should be on again.’

Another said: ‘#romeoandduet is the worst tv I have seen in years. @otimabuse it saddens me you have left #StrictlyComeDancing for this twaddle.’

Fans reaction: Oti has recently become a hit with ITV viewers but fans were left disappointed with her latest endeavour

Someone else added: ‘I literally watch anything! But this is genuinely the worst thing I’ve seen on TV in a long long time #romeoandduet’.

A fourth brutally quipped: ‘I’ve been wheel chair bound for 2 years but thanks for #romeoandduet I was able to muster up enough strength and turn the TV off.’

Several others praised Oti for her presenting, but lamented the fact that the show was not a good vehicle for her skills.

One said: ‘Oti is so natural. She’s brilliant! Shame the show was so unnatural and made little to no sense.’

A second echoed: ‘I love @otimabuse but this show is an absolute waste of airtime #romeoandduet’.

Silver lining: Several others praised Oti for her presenting, but lamented the fact that the show was not a good vehicle for her skills

And another agreed, writing: ‘It’s a shame that #RomeoAndDuet sucks salt, as Oti Mabuse is very likeable, but maybe this kind of forgettable, puff TV show isn’t the right vehicle for her.’

However despite the vastly negative review, there were some who were kept entertained, as one fan wrote: ‘Loving this #RomeoAndDuet show! Super cute and fun to watch! smashed it for her first ever solo show!

Another penned: ‘Loving #romeoandduet something new to Watch on a Saturday with the lovely @otimabuse’ 

A third chimed in: ‘I saw half of #romeoandduet as was on a day out today and not long got back, I enjoyed what I saw. An interesting format and great for Saturday nights, looking forward to seeing a full episode.’

Oti is no stranger to showing off her impressive dance moves and once again demonstrated her dance skills as she enjoyed a twerk-off with a contestant during the new musical matchmaking show. 

Good reviews: Other ITV viewers were left entertained and were happy to see Oti step into the presenting role

See also  Barbara Palvin cradles her tiny dog as she turns the sidewalk into her runway in a leggy LBD

The TV star – who is the younger sister of Strictly judge Motsi, 40 – has also gone on to present Oti’s South African Odyssey since quitting the Latin and ballroom competition and gushed about moving to the United Kingdom from her native South Africa to take on such a career.

Speaking on the Mirror’s Pride of Britain podcast, she added: ‘I’ve left the biggest show and now I’ve got three shows! It’s been incredible. As a dancer, and as a South African woman, I feel like, “Wow, what a country to live in!”‘

Despite her busy schedule, Oti insisted that she is managing fine but joked that her legs are ‘definitely tired’.

She said: ‘I’m OK, though. I’m taking my re doing an vitamins… I’m loving life. My legs, though. My legs are definitely tired!’

New show: Romeo & Duet will see singletons stand on a balcony as they are serenaded by potential love matches