Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse has been reportedly threatened with jail by her ex-husband Timo Culczak over claims she made in her autobiography that he was controlling during their 11-year marriage.
It was reported in April this year that the German dancer was suing his former wife, 42, for £70,000 after she told how Timo limited her access to money and even dictated what she ate in her memoir, Finding My Own Rhythm, which was released in September 2022.
Motsi, who divorced Timo in 2014, has since refused to settle the agreement, meaning that the case will go to court.
But dramatically Timo is allegedly asking the court to jail the TV judge for up to six months or fine her £250,000 if she were to repeat her previously made claims, the Sun reported.
Timo’s lawyer Samy Hammad said: ‘Ms Mabuse is refusing to pay, and so the court now has to decide.
Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse (pictured on the show last weekend) has been reportedly threatened with jail after refusing to settle with her husband
Motsi and Timo Culczak (pictured right) divorced in 2014. She claimed in her autobiography released in 2022 that he was controlling during their 11-year marriage
‘All we just want her to do is to retract the untruths published about him, and to compensate him accordingly.
‘My client’s reputation has repeatedly been trashed.
‘You have to threaten a penalty saying if you do it again, this is what I want in terms of money, or in terms of the prison sentence,’ he told the publication.
Back in April it was reported that the writ stated Motsi must stop ‘implying that the plaintiff made the defendant suffer during their marriage’.
While it also commands that she states ‘publicly the statements published in the book and cited press reports are untrue’.
It is said that the lawsuit has been filed at Offenburg Regional Court in Germany and as a German citizen, Motsi was not allowed to disregard it.
The former Ballroom and Latin dancer married her first love when she was just 22 years old and she broke off their 11-year marriage in 2014.
Motsi has since refused to settle the agreement, meaning that the case will go to court
Following the dovrce in 2014, Motsi went on to marry her Ukrainian husband Evgenij Voznyuk (pictured right) in 2017
In November, Timo hit back at Motsi’s claims, accusing her of fabricating the story in order to ‘push book sales’, while claiming they have even been in friendly contact since their divorce.
He told The Sun: ‘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.
‘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.
‘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.’
Timo’s lawyer went on to claim they can take legal action both in Germany and England but strive to reach an ‘amicable agreement’.
In her book, Motsi claimed her difficult relationship with Timo held her back professionally as he refused to let her open a dance school.
The TV personality said Timo took charge of her finances, paying her an allowance from what she earned from her TV appearances and dance classes.
She claimed Timo chose what they ate and refused to split up from her when she spoke to him about it.
In her book, Motsi told of her difficult relationship with Timo, which she claimed was controlling at times
Motsi wrote in her book: ‘Timo and I went to Thailand, and I told him, once and for all, that I was leaving. We fought every day, but I refused to back down this time.’
Their relationship fell apart after they stopped dancing together, despite the couple previously winning two German championships together.
Timo also declined her requests to have a baby and open a dance school together, according to Motsi.
Motsi moved to Germany to be with Timo at the age of 18 but realised she was not in love with him at the time: ‘I wasn’t in love with Timo any more — and I hadn’t been for a while.’
The couple eventually divorced in 2014 and Motsi went on to marry her Ukrainian husband Evgenij Voznyuk in 2017.
While she insists she and Evgenij were never involved while she was with Timo, she admits the pair did talk about their feelings for one another which did speed up her split from Timo.
They now live in Germany together where they share a daughter, four, and run a dance school.
A representative for Motsi has been approached for comment by MailOnline.
