Former Strictly star Katie Piper backs Oti Mabuse to replace Darcey Bussell on the judging panel

Coral bookmakers currently has former Strictly champion Karen Hardy at 2-1, with Oti at 4-1.

Coral’s Harry Aitkenhead told The Sun Online: “Oti is definitely a contender to replace Darcey on the Strictly panel.

“She proved incredibly popular making the switch to captain on The Greatest Dancer from Strictly pro and we make her just a 4-1 shot to return to the show now as a judge.”

Taking to Twitter, one fan wrote: “To replace #Darcey in #Strictly, it has to be a lady. She must have experience in dance and tap into the public appetite for it, and be a great TV presence.

“I think Oti should step up, even though she is Latin like Shirley Ballas. Tough decision for the producers…”

Another added: “Forget the months of headlines, JUST PUT OTI MABUSE ON THE JUDGING PANEL #strictly”.

A third agreed, tweeting: “I would love OTI to be a judge on #strictly love her.”

In her statement, Darcey said she had quit the show “to give more focus to other dance commitments”.

She said: “I am not leaving because of any upset or disagreement at all, I am just stepping away to give more focus to my many other commitments in dance, after seven truly wonderful years that I can’t imagine having gone any better.”

However The Sun exclusively revealed Darcey had quit after growing sick of Strictly’s sleazy reputation.

The star also wanted a £40,000 pay rise and had become annoyed by flamboyant judge Bruno Tonioli’s theatrics.

Sources say the ballet legend was sick of non-stop stories about romances between pro dancers and celebs such as the snogging scandal involving Seann Walsh and Katya Jones.