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Ore Oduba
Ore Oduba
from Wikipedia

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

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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

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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]
Year Title Role Channel
2008–2010 Sportsround Presenter CBBC
2008–2013 Newsround
2011–2013 Match of the Day Kickabout
2011-2014 Hacker Time Guest, various characters
2011–2016 BBC Breakfast Sport presenter BBC One
2012 Ultimate Sports Day Presenter CBBC
2013 Let's Dance for Comic Relief Contestant BBC One
2014 All Over the Place Australia Co-presenter CBBC
2015 EastEnders: Backstage Live BBC One
New Year Live Presenter
2015–2016 The National Lottery Draws Main presenter
Victoria Derbyshire Sport presenter BBC Two
2015— The One Show Guest presenter BBC One
2016 Sport Relief: Clash of the Titans Co-presenter BBC One
Hell on High Seas Participant
Strictly Come Dancing
Claimed and Shamed Presenter
2016–2018 This Morning Guest presenter ITV
2017 London Marathon Highlights Presenter BBC Two
BBC Young Dancer[29] Co-presenter BBC Two
One Love Manchester BBC One
World Athletics Championships 2017 BBC One/BBC Two
The National Lottery Awards Presenter BBC One
2018 And They're Off!
Britain's Favourite Walks: Top 100 Co-presenter ITV
Hardball[30] Presenter BBC One
The Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
2021 Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins Contestant Channel 4
The Cube ITV

Television guest appearances

[edit]

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

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Ore Oduba (born 17 November 1985) is a British television presenter, , and former radio broadcaster, best known for his work with the on children's and sports programming, as well as winning the fourteenth series of in 2016 alongside professional dancer . Born in to Nigerian parents, Oduba grew up in , Dorset, where he developed an interest in sports, playing hockey competitively during his youth. He studied and Social Sciences at , graduating before entering the media industry. Oduba's broadcasting career began in 2008 with , where he co-presented Newsround and Sportsround until 2013, earning recognition for his engaging style with young audiences. He transitioned to sports coverage, hosting Match of the Day Kickabout, reporting on major events including the in , the 2014 Youth Olympics in , and the 2016 Rio Olympics for . Additionally, he presented segments on BBC Breakfast, the National Lottery Draws, and Claimed & Shamed, while contributing to and Radio 2 as a host. His victory on Strictly Come Dancing—viewed by over 13 million people in the finale—marked a high point, leading to hosting the show's live tour and boosting his profile in entertainment. In parallel, Oduba pursued acting, appearing in television roles such as in the drama (2020) and the musical Curtains (2020). He has since starred in West End and touring productions, including The Bodyguard (2017–2018), Hamilton (2019), (2024), and in (2025). In 2025, Oduba publicly discussed his 30-year struggle with , which began at age nine, and his achievement of 18 months of sobriety, using his platform to advocate for awareness, including his ADHD diagnosis, amid his ongoing commitments.

Early life

Family background

Ore Oduba was born on 17 November 1985 in to Nigerian parents, Jim and Fola Oduba. His father was a successful who divided his time between the and , 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 prior to Oduba's birth, reflecting a pattern of Nigerian professionals seeking opportunities in Britain during the late . In 1988, when Oduba was three years old, the family relocated to in Dorset, where he spent much of his childhood in a close-knit household that emphasized discipline and cultural ties to their Nigerian heritage. 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 and 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 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. 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 for while also training as a , 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 . Despite these hardships, the Oduba family's enduring emphasis on , resilience, and mutual support remains a cornerstone of their background.

Education

Oduba attended Dumpton School, a preparatory school, before progressing to Canford School, an independent boarding school in Wimborne Minster, Dorset. He later studied at Loughborough University, where he earned a BSc in Sports Science and Social Science in 2008. In recognition of his achievements in and sports, Oduba received an honorary Doctor of the University degree from in July 2017.

Broadcasting career

Early presenting roles

Oduba began his in 2008, shortly after graduating from , by joining the BBC's children's news programme Newsround through a BBC-backed training scheme. He initially served as a reporter and breakfast bulletin presenter on the show, which aired on and focused on delivering news tailored for young audiences. 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. By 2010, he advanced to presenting the flagship evening bulletin, a role he held until leaving the programme in 2013. 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. Building on his sports expertise, Oduba took over as presenter of Match of the Day Kickabout in 2011, a football programme that succeeded Sportsround and targeted young fans with match highlights, skills challenges, and interviews. 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 programming.

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. 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. Branching into general news presenting, Oduba fronted Claimed & Shamed from 2012 to 2017, a daytime series examining 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. 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 in , marking a shift from reporter to lead host. That same year, he reported from and presented highlights of the in , . By 2016, he covered the Rio Olympics extensively for , including studio presenting on and on-location reporting from Great Britain's victory parade in . 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 and . In 2018, he expanded into charity sports entertainment by hosting And They're Off!, a horse-racing themed segment for , his first Saturday night presenting gig.

Entertainment career

Strictly Come Dancing

Oduba participated in the fourteenth series of on , which aired from September to December 2016. As a sports presenter known for his work on 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. He was partnered with professional dancer , 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. 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.

Acting and stage work

Oduba transitioned to acting following his 2016 victory on , 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 Studio in , as well as Iron at the Royal Exchange Theatre in , though specific dates and characters for these remain undocumented in major sources. 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. Later that year, he joined the UK tour of Curtains as Aaron Fox, opposite , before making his West End debut in the same production at in January 2020. Oduba's television acting debut came in 2020 with the role of news anchor Akintola in the adaptation of , a dystopian drama based on Malorie Blackman's novels. He made his musical theatre debut as Brad Majors in the UK tour of in 2021, reprising the role in 2022 and returning for the 50th anniversary production at the in in 2023 and on subsequent UK tour. In 2024, Oduba portrayed Happy Man/Mr. Thompson in the UK and tour of : The Musical. That November, he took on the lead role of Caractacus Potts in the UK tour of , a family-oriented production that ran through 2025. Oduba starred as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in the regional premiere of at Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre from October 2025, directed by Nick Winston, earning praise for his comedic timing and vocal performance in ' adaptation. 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.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Oduba was born in to Nigerian parents, his father Jim Oduba, a lawyer who split his time between the and , 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 in April 2025 at the age of 37. In November 2015, Oduba married Portia Jett Oduba, a television researcher and the daughter of Nick Culmer, former lead singer of the punk band and current property developer. The couple welcomed son Roman in August 2018 and daughter Genie in October 2021. 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. In October 2025, Portia publicly confirmed a new relationship with British-German businessman .

Health and advocacy

In 2025, Ore Oduba publicly disclosed his long-term struggle with , 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. Oduba achieved sobriety in mid-2024, marking one year in July 2025 through and insights from Annalie Howling's Unapologetic, which helped him confront the intertwined shame and addictive patterns. He has since emphasized the toll, noting that untreated 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 win, crediting it with helping him navigate his , family losses, and recovery. In October 2025, Oduba revealed his diagnosis of inattentive ADHD, describing it as a "badge of " that provided understanding for lifelong challenges, and noted his late sister Lola also battled the condition before her death. As an , Oduba has called for shifting public discourse on 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 , 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 awareness following his ADHD diagnosis.

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)TitleRoleCitation
2008–2013Newsround (CBBC)Presenter and reporter
2011–2016BBC Breakfast (BBC One)Sports presenter
2016Olympic Games coverage (BBC)Anchor (Rio Olympics)
2016Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One)Contestant (series 14 winner)
2017–presentThe One Show (BBC One)Guest presenter
2017–presentThis Morning (ITV)Guest presenter
2018And They're Off! (BBC One)Host (Sport Relief special)
2018Hardball (BBC One)Presenter (series 1)
2020Noughts + Crosses (BBC One)News Anchor Akintola
2018Claimed and Shamed (BBC One)Presenter (series 10)
These credits highlight Oduba's versatility, from youth-oriented news to high-profile sports events and narrative television. He has also made guest appearances on panel shows such as Pointless Celebrities and Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, often as a contestant or panelist.

Radio and stage

Oduba has contributed to BBC Radio 5 Live as a sports presenter, covering major events including the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games. While based at MediaCityUK in Manchester, he joined the station's presenting team, delivering reports and live commentary on sporting occasions. On , Oduba has established himself as a regular cover host, filling in for established presenters such as and Steve Wright on multiple occasions between 2017 and 2018. He hosted the All Request Friday programme in late 2018, featuring listener dedications and upbeat selections to usher in the weekend. Oduba has accumulated extensive airtime on the station, blending , interviews, and segments. Following his 2016 victory on , Oduba transitioned into , making his professional stage debut in 2019 as Teen Angel in the UK and tour of Grease, where he shared the role with at select venues including the . Later that year, he took on the role of Aaron Fox in the UK tour of Curtains, the musical comedy about a backstage murder mystery. In early 2020, Oduba made his West End debut reprising in Curtains at , alongside and . He continued building his theatre profile with a 2023 appearance as Brad Majors (replacement cast) in the 50th anniversary production of at London's and on subsequent UK tour dates. Oduba has also embraced seasonal , leading productions such as in 2022 and others at venues including the in . More recently, Oduba starred as Stuart Piper in the 2025 UK tour of Picture You Dead, an adaptation of Peter James's thriller directed by Jonathan Church. In autumn 2025, he portrayed Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in the regional premiere of Young Frankenstein The Musical at Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre. He joined the UK tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang starting March 2025, further showcasing his versatility in family-oriented musicals. From 2023 to 2024, he appeared as Happy Man/Mr. Thompson in the UK tour of Pretty Woman The Musical.

References

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