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Ore Oduba
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Ore Oduba (born 17 November 1985)[1][2][3] is a British television and radio presenter who has also worked as an actor.[4] From 2008 until 2013, he presented the CBBC news programme Newsround. In 2018 he hosted the game show And They're Off! in aid of Sport Relief. In 2019 he began his musical theatre career, starring in the UK tour of Grease. He also appeared alongside Jason Manford in Curtains the Musical. Oduba made his West End debut in January 2020. However, he is best known for winning the fourteenth series of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing in 2016.
Key Information
Early life and education
[edit]Oduba was born on 17 November 1985 in London, to Nigerian parents and was brought up in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, in southwest England, with his brother and two sisters. He often travelled between the UK and Nigeria, where his father is a leading lawyer.[5][1] He was educated at Dumpton School, then Canford School,[6] a co-educational independent school for both boarding and day pupils in the village of Canford Magna, near to the market town of Wimborne Minster in Dorset.[6]
Oduba was a talented sports player in his youth, he was a rugby prop, a hockey goalkeeper, also played tennis and cricket.[6]
He studied Sports Science and Social Science at Loughborough University and graduated with a degree in 2008.[7][6]
Career
[edit]Oduba had always aimed for a career in sports broadcasting,[8] and initially joined The Network, an Edinburgh television festival scheme.
Oduba joined Newsround in August 2008, following the departure of Lizo Mzimba and Laura Jones.[6] His first role on the programme was as a reporter and breakfast bulletin presenter. He was quickly promoted to deputy presenter in 2009, filling in for main presenter Sonali Shah in her absence. In 2010, he joined Shah to begin presenting the main Newsround bulletin double-headed.[6] This continued until Shah's departure in November 2011. He was later joined by reporters Leah Gooding and Hayley Cutts. As part of his role he also presented spin-off show Sportsround. He became the main presenter in October 2008 when the show relaunched. He presented until its cancellation in 2010. The show was replaced by Match of the Day Kickabout, which Oduba also presents. Oduba left Newsround in 2013.
Oduba formerly presented the sport for BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio 5 Live. He has also presented and reported on British Olympic Dreams along with former Newsround co-presenter Sonali Shah. Oduba began a debut presenting solo on the morning slot for the 2014 Commonwealth Games on BBC One and BBC Sport.[6]
Oduba regularly appeared on CBBC studio presentation following his Newsround shift. He was also a guest on CBBC shows including Sam & Mark's TMi Friday, Hacker Time and All Over the Place.
In the lead up to the 2012 Summer Olympics Oduba presented a programme called Ultimate Sports Day for CBBC. He also co-presents live cinema relays from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, with former ballerina Darcey Bussell.
On 2 March 2013, Oduba and Sonali Shah appeared on the BBC's Let's Dance for Comic Relief, dancing to Hey Ya! by Outkast. They were eliminated and did not get through to the final.[9]
He played the role of Nathan in Hacker Time on CBBC. Since 2015, he has guest presented numerous episodes of The One Show.
From 2015 to 2016, he was a presenter on The National Lottery Draws on Saturday evenings and he presented the 2015 New Year Live programme on BBC One.
From 7 March 2016, Oduba took part in a challenge for Sport Relief, called "Hell on High Seas", in which he sailed 1,000 miles from Belfast to London with five other celebrities including Alex Jones and Suzi Perry.[10][11] In 2016, he also presented Sport Relief: Clash of the Titans with Dan Walker. He presented coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics on BBC Four throughout August 2016.
Between October 2012 and May 2017 he presented the daytime BBC One insurance fraud documentary programme Claimed and Shamed.[12] In November 2016, Oduba guest-presented an episode of This Morning with Holly Willoughby on ITV. He returned to present a second episode with Willoughby in March 2017 and a third with Davina McCall in February 2018.
In 2016 Oduba participated in the fourteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing,[13] where he was partnered with Joanne Clifton. The couple's American Smooth to "Singin' in the Rain" won praise from Patricia Ward, widow of Gene Kelly.[14] In the fourth week, the couple were awarded a score of 39 points out of 40 for their jive to "Runaway Baby" by Bruno Mars.[15][16] In the final, on 17 December, after the couple scored the maximum 40 points for their jive, they were announced as the winners.[17]
In 2017, Oduba sat in for Claudia Winkleman and Steve Wright, on their respective BBC Radio 2 shows, on a number of occasions.[6]
In 2018, Oduba presented Saturday-night game show And They're Off! For Sport Relief on BBC One. Subsequently, he co-hosted the main coverage of Sport Relief 2018 live on BBC One. The same year, he co-presented Britain's Favourite Walks: Top 100 alongside Julia Bradbury for ITV. Oduba also hosts the BBC One game show Hardball.[18]
Oduba made his musical theatre debut in 2019, playing the role of Teen Angel in the UK tour of Grease.[6] He shared the role with singer Peter Andre. Following that, Oduba starred as Aaron Fox in Kander and Ebb's Curtains alongside Jason Manford and Carley Stenson. The production later transferred to London's Wyndham's Theatre, where Oduba made his West End debut.[6]
In 2020, Oduba played the role of news anchor Akintola in the BBC One drama Noughts + Crosses, a television adaptation of the novels by author Malorie Blackman.[19]
The following year, he was a contestant in Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, making it to the final. In the same year, he joined the cast of the stage version of The Rocky Horror Show.[6]
Personal life
[edit]In November 2015, Oduba married TV researcher Portia Jett Culmer, daughter of Nick "Animal" Culmer, lead singer of punk rock band Anti-Nowhere League.[20][21] They have two children.[22][23] In January 2024 Portia revealed that the couple were divorcing.[24]
In July 2017, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Loughborough University.[25] In November that year, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Bournemouth University.[26] He is an avid supporter of Manchester United.[27]
Oduba was the first winner of the Inspirational Public Figure Award at the inaugural Ethnicity Awards held in 2018. Other nominations included Meghan Markle, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Alesha Dixon.[28]
Credits
[edit]TV
[edit]Television guest appearances
[edit]- Hacker Time (2011)
- The Dog Ate My Homework (2014)
- Celebrity Mastermind (2014)
- Play to the Whistle (2017)
- Extra Gear (2017)
- Weekend (2017)
- Celebrity Juice (2017)
- The Crystal Maze: Celebrity Special (2017)
- Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit (2017)
- Partners in Rhyme (2017)
- Tim Vine Travels in Time (2017)
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (2017)
- Would I Lie to You? (2017)
- Through the Keyhole (2018)
- Celebrity Catchphrase (2018)
Radio
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Claudia on Sunday | Stand-in presenter | BBC Radio 2 |
| Steve Wright in the Afternoon | |||
| 2018 | Drive-time | ||
| 2019- | Vanessa Feltz |
Stage
[edit]| Year(s) | Production | Role | Theatre | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Strictly Come Dancing the Live Tour | Contestant | N/a | UK National Tour |
| 2018 | Strictly Come Dancing the Live Tour | Host | N/a | UK National Tour |
| 2019 | Strictly Come Dancing the Live Tour | Host | N/a | UK National Tour |
| Grease | Teen Angel | N/a | UK National Tour | |
| Curtains the Musical | Aaron Fox | N/a | UK National Tour | |
| 2019-20 | Cinderella | Prince Charming | Fairfield Halls | Croydon |
| 2020 | Curtains the Musical | Aaron Fox | Wyndham's Theatre | West End |
| 2021 | Rocky Horror Show | Brad Majors | N/a | UK National Tour |
| 2022 | Sleeping Beauty | Prince Orlando | Marlowe Theatre | Canterbury |
| 2023 | Pretty Woman | Happy Man/Mr Thompson | N/a | UK National Tour |
| Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Prince Charming | Royal & Derngate | Northampton | |
| 2024 | Aladdin | Abanazar | Assembly Hall | Tunbridge Wells |
| 2025 | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang | Caractacus Potts | N/a | UK National Tour |
| Picture You Dead [31] | Stuart Piper | N/a | UK National Tour | |
| Young Frankenstein | Frederick Frankenstein | Hope Mill Theatre | Manchester | |
| Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Prince Charming | The Hawth | Crawley |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Ore Oduba". bbc.co.uk. 19 December 2016.
- ^ "All about Ore". BBC News. 12 August 2008.
- ^ "Who is Ore Oduba? Strictly Come Dancing 2016 contestant guide". Radio Times. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "Ore Oduba - Latest news, opinion, features, previews, video - The Mirror". mirror. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ "Sports presenter Ore Oduba's journey to Strictly success". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 19 December 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Strictly star Ore Oduba's Dorset school days". greatbritishlife.co.uk. 18 March 2022.
- ^ "2016 - Alumnus Ore Oduba takes to the Strictly stage - Loughborough Alumni". Loughborough University. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "Ore Oduba, TV presenter". IdeasTap. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ "Ore & Sonali". Let's Dance for Comic Relief. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ "Hell on High Seas". Sport Relief. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ "Celebrity crew set sail around the UK for the BT Sport Relief Challenge: Hell on High Seas". BT.com. BT. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ "Curve Media TV Production". Curve Media. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "Presenting our fourth Strictly celebrity… Ore Oduba". BBC. 11 August 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ "Widow's praise for Strictly's Ore Oduba like 'blessing from Gene Kelly himself'". North West Evening Mail. 13 October 2016. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "Ore Oduba receives first 10s of this year's Strictly Come Dancing for 'jaw-dropping' jive". London Evening Standard. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ Frost, Caroline (16 October 2016). "'Strictly' Judges Give Their First 10s This Series... But Not To Danny Mac!". Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ Stolworthy, Jacob; Lizzie Dearden (17 December 2016). "Ore Oduba crowned winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2016". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "BBC - Dan McGolpin announces exciting new factual and entertainment commissions for BBC One Daytime - Media Centre". BBC. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ^ "Noughts + Crosses, TV". tv24.co.uk.
- ^ "Former Strictly Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba announces split from wife". Yahoo News. 17 October 2024.
- ^ "Celebrities attend UK premiere of Blueys Big Play". www.bbcstudios.com.
- ^ "Ore Oduba celebrates first wedding anniversary with wife Portia". Hello!. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "Nigerian-born British celebrity broadcaster, Ore Oduba, wins Strictly Come Dancing". Punch Newspapers. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ "Strictly star's wife breaks silence on shock divorce after nine years of marriage". HELLO!. 19 October 2024.
- ^ "Strictly Come Dancing star receives Honorary Doctorate from Loughborough University". Loughborough University. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
- ^ "Honorary Doctorate Ore Oduba". Bournemouth University. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
- ^ "SOCCER AID STARS EXCITED TO PLAY AT OLD TRAFFORD". Manchester United F.C. 6 September 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- ^ Newman, Vicki (2 October 2018). "Simon Webbe and Ranvir Singh to host first ever Ethnicity Awards". The Mirror. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
- ^ "BBC - BBC Young Dancer 2017 line-up revealed ahead of BBC Two Grand Final". BBC. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "BBC - Dan McGolpin announces exciting new factual and entertainment commissions for BBC One Daytime - Media Centre". BBC. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ^ "Peter James's Picture You Dead tour casting announced". westendtheatre.com. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
External links
[edit]Ore Oduba
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Family background
Ore Oduba was born on 17 November 1985 in London to Nigerian parents, Jim and Fola Oduba. His father was a successful lawyer who divided his time between the United Kingdom and Nigeria, maintaining professional commitments in his home country, while his mother, Fola, who was deeply involved in church activities, primarily resided in the UK. The family immigrated from Nigeria prior to Oduba's birth, reflecting a pattern of Nigerian diaspora professionals seeking opportunities in Britain during the late 20th century. In 1988, when Oduba was three years old, the family relocated to Wimborne Minster in Dorset, where he spent much of his childhood in a close-knit household that emphasized discipline and cultural ties to their Nigerian heritage.[9][10][6] Oduba grew up alongside three siblings: an older brother, Tolu; an older sister, Temi, who pursued a successful career as a businesswoman; and a younger sister, Lola. The family's frequent travels between the UK and Nigeria fostered a bicultural upbringing, with Oduba often visiting extended relatives and experiencing the contrasts between British suburban life in Dorset and Nigerian family traditions. His father's strict disciplinarian style, rooted in high expectations for achievement, profoundly shaped Oduba's early years, instilling a strong work ethic but also a sense of pressure to succeed. This environment, combined with his mother's nurturing role, contributed to Oduba's grounded yet ambitious personality.[10][11][9] The family faced significant tragedies in recent years, including the death of Oduba's father in October 2023 and the suicide of his sister Lola in April 2025. Lola, who identified as non-binary and worked as a journalist for The Guardian while also training as a chef, struggled with personal challenges before her passing. These losses have been publicly discussed by Oduba as pivotal moments that prompted reflection on family dynamics and mental health. Despite these hardships, the Oduba family's enduring emphasis on faith, resilience, and mutual support remains a cornerstone of their background.[12][10][13]Education
Oduba attended Dumpton School, a preparatory school, before progressing to Canford School, an independent boarding school in Wimborne Minster, Dorset.[14][6] He later studied at Loughborough University, where he earned a BSc in Sports Science and Social Science in 2008.[15][9][14] In recognition of his achievements in broadcasting and sports, Oduba received an honorary Doctor of the University degree from Loughborough University in July 2017.[16]Broadcasting career
Early presenting roles
Oduba began his broadcasting career in 2008, shortly after graduating from Loughborough University, by joining the BBC's children's news programme Newsround through a BBC-backed training scheme.[15][17] He initially served as a reporter and breakfast bulletin presenter on the show, which aired on CBBC and focused on delivering news tailored for young audiences.[2][9] Within a year, Oduba was promoted to deputy presenter of Newsround in 2009, where he occasionally filled in for the main host and contributed to live segments.[15] By 2010, he advanced to presenting the flagship evening bulletin, a role he held until leaving the programme in 2013.[15][2] During his tenure, he also hosted the sports-focused spin-off Sportsround from 2008 to 2010, drawing on his background in athletics to cover youth-oriented sports stories and events.[18][2] Building on his sports expertise, Oduba took over as presenter of Match of the Day Kickabout in 2011, a CBBC football programme that succeeded Sportsround and targeted young fans with match highlights, skills challenges, and interviews.[2][17] He continued in this role for several years, establishing himself as a familiar face in children's sports broadcasting. These early roles honed his on-screen presence and versatility, laying the foundation for his transition to broader BBC programming.[9]Sports and news presenting
Oduba joined the BBC in August 2008 as a reporter for the children's news programme Newsround, where he covered a range of topics including current affairs and sports. He presented the sports spin-off Sportsround from 2008 until the show's cancellation in 2010.[19][20] His career emphasized youth-oriented sports broadcasting, including hosting the football-focused Match of the Day Kickabout from 2011 until 2013. Oduba also contributed sports segments to BBC Breakfast as a reporter and provided sports coverage for BBC Radio 5 Live and hosted segments on BBC Radio 2, including All Request Friday in 2018.[2][21][22] Branching into general news presenting, Oduba fronted Claimed & Shamed from 2012 to 2017, a daytime BBC One series examining insurance fraud and consumer disputes. He additionally hosted the National Lottery live draws on Saturday evenings from 2015 to 2016, blending news-style announcements with public engagement.[23][24][2][25] Oduba's profile in sports presenting rose with major international events. In 2014, he made his solo presenting debut on the BBC's morning coverage of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking a shift from reporter to lead host. That same year, he reported from and presented highlights of the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. By 2016, he covered the Rio Olympics extensively for BBC Sport, including studio presenting on BBC Four and on-location reporting from Great Britain's victory parade in London.[15][2][26][9] Throughout his BBC tenure, Oduba participated in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, serving on the judging panel for the Young Sports Personality category in 2009, 2010, and 2011 alongside figures like Jake Humphrey and Helen Skelton. In 2018, he expanded into charity sports entertainment by hosting And They're Off!, a horse-racing themed segment for Sport Relief, his first Saturday night presenting gig.[27][28][29][4]Entertainment career
Strictly Come Dancing
Oduba participated in the fourteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One, which aired from September to December 2016. As a sports presenter known for his work on BBC Breakfast and Radio 5 Live, he entered the competition as a celebrity contestant, expressing long-held enthusiasm for the show by stating he had wanted to join for over 20 years.[2][30] He was partnered with professional dancer Joanne Clifton, and their performances were noted for high energy and technical improvement throughout the series. Early routines included a jive to Bruno Mars' "Runaway Baby" in week four, which earned praise for its precision and charisma from the judges. Oduba's athletic background from sports broadcasting contributed to his adaptability, though he described the experience as a shift from his competitive self-focus to embracing the show's collaborative spirit.[30][2][31] In the grand final, Oduba and Clifton performed a showdance to "I Got Rhythm" from An American in Paris, alongside a repeat of their American Smooth to "Singin' in the Rain." Their scores and public votes secured the win, defeating runners-up Danny Mac with Oti Mabuse and Louise Redknapp with Kevin Clifton, with an audience of up to 13.1 million viewers. They lifted the Glitterball Trophy as champions, marking Oduba as the first sports presenter to win the series.[30][31][32]Acting and stage work
Oduba transitioned to acting following his 2016 victory on Strictly Come Dancing, marking a shift from broadcasting to performance arts. His early stage work included minor roles in productions such as The Collector and Tuesday's Class at The Lowry Studio in Salford, as well as Iron at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, though specific dates and characters for these remain undocumented in major sources.[33] In 2019, Oduba made his professional musical theatre debut as Teen Angel in the UK tour of Grease, a role that showcased his singing and dancing abilities honed from his Strictly experience.[34] Later that year, he joined the UK tour of Curtains as Aaron Fox, opposite Jason Manford, before making his West End debut in the same production at Wyndham's Theatre in January 2020.[35][36] Oduba's television acting debut came in 2020 with the role of news anchor Akintola in the BBC One adaptation of Noughts + Crosses, a dystopian drama based on Malorie Blackman's novels.[37] He made his musical theatre debut as Brad Majors in the UK tour of The Rocky Horror Show in 2021, reprising the role in 2022 and returning for the 50th anniversary production at the Peacock Theatre in London in 2023 and on subsequent UK tour.[38][39] In 2024, Oduba portrayed Happy Man/Mr. Thompson in the UK and Ireland tour of Pretty Woman: The Musical.[40] That November, he took on the lead role of Caractacus Potts in the UK tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a family-oriented production that ran through 2025.[33] Oduba starred as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in the regional premiere of Young Frankenstein at Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre from October 2025, directed by Nick Winston, earning praise for his comedic timing and vocal performance in Mel Brooks' adaptation.[41] In parallel, he appeared as Stuart Piper in the 2025 UK tour of the world premiere stage adaptation Picture You Dead, a thriller based on Peter James' novel.[42]Personal life
Family and relationships
Oduba was born in London to Nigerian parents, his father Jim Oduba, a lawyer who split his time between the United Kingdom and Nigeria, and his mother. The family relocated to Dorset when Oduba was two years old. He grew up alongside one brother and two sisters, though his father passed away in October 2023, and his sister Lola died by suicide in April 2025 at the age of 37.[9][6][13][43][10] In November 2015, Oduba married Portia Jett Oduba, a television researcher and the daughter of Nick Culmer, former lead singer of the punk band Anti-Nowhere League and current property developer.[44][45] The couple welcomed son Roman in August 2018 and daughter Genie in October 2021.[46][47] Oduba and Portia announced their separation in October 2024, stating that they had parted earlier that year after nine years of marriage but remained committed to co-parenting their children with love and respect.[48] In October 2025, Portia publicly confirmed a new relationship with British-German businessman Joshua Saxon Birch.[49][50]Health and advocacy
In 2025, Ore Oduba publicly disclosed his long-term struggle with pornography addiction, which began at the age of nine after being introduced to explicit material by a friend's older brother. He described the addiction as a response to early trauma that "dogged me for nearly 30 years" and "destroyed my life from the inside out," leading to profound shame and a dual life where he concealed his behaviors from family and colleagues.[51][52] Oduba achieved sobriety in mid-2024, marking one year in July 2025 through therapy and insights from Annalie Howling's book Unapologetic, which helped him confront the intertwined shame and addictive patterns. He has since emphasized the mental health toll, noting that untreated addiction risked "ruining his life" and affected his self-worth and relationships. In September 2025, Oduba discussed rediscovering his Christian faith after a period of doubt following his Strictly Come Dancing win, crediting it with helping him navigate his divorce, family losses, and recovery.[53][6][13] In October 2025, Oduba revealed his diagnosis of inattentive ADHD, describing it as a "badge of neurodiversity" that provided understanding for lifelong challenges, and noted his late sister Lola also battled the condition before her death.[54] As an advocate, Oduba has called for shifting public discourse on pornography addiction to reduce stigma and protect young people, warning of an "epidemic" where approximately 60% of children encounter such content accidentally. His primary motivation is safeguarding his children, son Roman and daughter Genie, stating, "I can’t keep quiet about what I went through… to save my children," while urging parents to foster open conversations despite the topic's sensitivity. He has also advocated for neurodiversity awareness following his ADHD diagnosis.[51][52][54]Credits
Television
Oduba's television career encompasses a wide range of presenting roles in news, sports, and entertainment, as well as select acting appearances. He gained prominence through children's and sports broadcasting before expanding into mainstream shows and dramatic roles. The following table summarizes key television credits, focusing on major presenting and acting contributions:| Year(s) | Title | Role | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2013 | Newsround (CBBC) | Presenter and reporter | [55] |
| 2011–2016 | BBC Breakfast (BBC One) | Sports presenter | [56] |
| 2016 | Olympic Games coverage (BBC) | Anchor (Rio Olympics) | [56] |
| 2016 | Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One) | Contestant (series 14 winner) | |
| 2017–present | The One Show (BBC One) | Guest presenter | [15] |
| 2017–present | This Morning (ITV) | Guest presenter | [15] |
| 2018 | And They're Off! (BBC One) | Host (Sport Relief special) | [57] |
| 2018 | Hardball (BBC One) | Presenter (series 1) | [58] |
| 2020 | Noughts + Crosses (BBC One) | News Anchor Akintola | [17] |
| 2018 | Claimed and Shamed (BBC One) | Presenter (series 10) | [59] |
