Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse could be forced to face her ex-husband in jail over claims he controlled her during their 11-year marriage, according to reports.
It was reported in April that Motsi’s ex-husband Timo Culczak was suing her for £70,000 over claims in her memoir that he controlled her access to money and even dictated what she ate.
It was reported previously that Timo and his lawyer are 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.
A hearing is due to take place in Offenburg in January and Timo’s lawyers have reportedly applied for a court order to make her attendance in person compulsory.
A source told The Sun: ‘The only person who can answer the claims against her is Motsi herself, so it seems Timo’s lawyer now wants her in court in person.
Showdown: Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse could be forced to face her ex-husband in jail over claims he controlled her during their 11-year marriage, according to reports
Split: Motsi and her ex-husband Timo Kulczak were married for 11 years – but he is now suing the Strictly judge
‘It would be an incredibly dramatic scene if their marriage ends up being played out in detail in court.
‘It now looks like that is going to happen and just shows how strongly Motsi and Timo feel about their version of events.’
However a spokesperson for Motsi told the same newspaper that she is not expected to appear in court and has not been threatened with a fine or going to prison.
MailOnline has reached out to representatives for Motsi for more information.
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.
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.
Fierce: 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
Hard: In her book Finding My Own Rhythm, Motsi told of her difficult relationship with Timo, which she claimed was controlling at times
‘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 2022 book Finding My Own Rhythm, 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.
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.
New love: Following the divorce in 2014, Motsi went on to marry her Ukrainian husband Evgenij Voznyuk (pictured right) in 2017
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.
