Jane Omorogbe
{{Infobox person
| image = Jane Omorogbe Quasar.jpg
| caption = Omorogbe poses in a Quasar motorbike
| birth_name = Jane Grace Isoken Omorogbe
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|09|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England
| education = Claverham Community College
| occupation = model, actress, television presenter, motorcycling journalist and fitness coach
| years_active = 1995–present
| employer = Sky Sports, The Sun, The Times, Global Biker
| known_for = Gladiators (1996–2000)
| website = https://www.janeomorogbe.com/
}}
{{Short description|British model and actress}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}{{Use British English|date=April 2025}}
Jane Grace Isoken Omorogbe (born 20 September 1971) is a British model and actress, best known as Rio on ITVs Gladiators. She had also worked as a television presenter, motorcycling journalist and fitness coach.
Early life
Omorogbe was born on 20 September 1971 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Her family moved to Hastings, East Sussex, when she was five years old. Her parents are Nigerian immigrants and she is fluent in both English and Dutch.
Omorogbe was educated at Claverham Community College in Battle, East Sussex. After leaving school, Omorogbe briefly worked in a bank, then worked as a National Health Service (NHS) ambulance driver in Hastings for four years. She achieved a certificate in advanced first aid while working for the ambulance service.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ-gU1mbXrA&feature=youtu.be |title=Bru Time #164 - Jane Omorogbe (Rio from Gladiators) |date=2024-11-12 |last=TeapotOne Podcast - Bru Time |access-date=2025-04-09 |via=YouTube}}
Modelling
Omorogbe modelled bridal gowns for Geddes-Muir Designs, and was signed by Martin Enterprises - Studio 17 modelling agency in 1994. In 1995, Omorogbe entered the Miss Wessex beauty contest. She won the title of Miss Wessex and was entered into the Miss United Kingdom final, although she didn't win the title.{{Cite web |last=Her |date=2015-07-12 |title=Remember The Gladiators? Here's What They're Doing Now... |url=https://her.ie/entertainment/remember-the-gladiators-heres-what-they-are-doing-now-243875 |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Her.ie |language=en-US}}
Television career
Omorogbe appeared in The Sun as a finalist in Miss United Kingdom, where she was spotted by Gladiators referee John Anderson, and was asked to audition for the cult television show.{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Danni |date=2022-08-26 |title=Where the original 90s Gladiators stars are now as new series confirmed by BBC |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/original-gladiators-now-new-series-27841318 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Daily Record |language=en}} She was not considered fit or strong enough, so she quit her ambulance job and left Hastings to focus on training with a Taekwando expert in order to pass the rigorous fitness test required by London Weekend Television. After five months of training, Omorogbe passed the tests for the show and became the Gladiator "Rio."{{Cite web |title=S3 E9: The One With Rio |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s3-e9-the-one-with-rio/id1515234324?i=1000637769320 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=GladPod: The Gladiators Podcast, Apple Podcasts |language=en-GB}} As Rio, Omorogbe had a high win count, crashed into a contender so hard in one episode that a door jammed, and in series 5 was dubbed "the undefeated Queen of Duel." During her time on Gladiators, she also appeared as Rio in festive pantomimes,{{Cite web |title=Gladiators in panto |url=https://www.pantoarchive.com/gladiators |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Panto Archive |language=en}} and was a guest on television shows such as Fully Booked{{Cite web |title=Jane Omorogbe |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jane-omorogbe/credits/3000025722/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}} and the Generation Game.{{Cite web |title=Jane Omorogbe {{!}} Stunts |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0648469/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}} She also worked as a stuntwoman on the Ridley Scott film Gladiators (2000), starring as the gold breastplate wearing gladiatrix and archer who is in sliced half by a barbed chariot wheel during a battle in the Colosseum.{{Cite web |title=Celebrating Black History Month: Ex-bike journalist Jane Omorogbe is one motorcycling's rare high-profile black riders |url=https://www.motorcyclenews.com/advice/inspiration/weekend-reads/jane-omorogbe/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Motorcyclenews.com |language=en}}
File:James Cracknell and Janie Omorogbe.jpg presenting at the British SuperBike Championship in 2007{{Cite web |date=2008-03-01 |title=BSB: ITV to drop British Superbikes this season |url=https://www.visordown.com/news/general/bsb-itv-drop-british-superbikes-season |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Visordown}}]]
After taking part in six series of Gladiators from 1996 until 2000, Omorogbe turned her love of motorbikes into a television career. She presented numerous television shows in quick succession to gain experience, including Car Crazy Rio, Top Bikes,{{Cite web |last=Morrill |first=Jenny |date=2014-08-04 |title=ITV's Gladiators: where are they now? |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/itvs-gladiators-where-are-they-now/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}} Two Wheels, Revved Up, Teen Trials, Top Gear, Pit Stop Bikes,{{Cite web |title=Pitstop Bikes: Riding Game - Ep. 8 |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ipnif |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Men and Motors |language=en-US}} and Pulling Power.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt7D6dZZOcc |title=Pulling Power - Series 9, Episode 5 - 24th March 2003 |date=2025-02-15 |last=Top Rare |access-date=2025-04-10 |via=YouTube}}
Like Suzi Perry and Fran Robinson before her, Omorogbe was the pit-side reporter for Live Speedway on Sky Sports. She also became the Grid and Pitside Reporter for ITV's British Touring Car Championship coverage, having covered British Superbike Championship for them and also covered the annual Isle of Man TT Races. Omorogbe also worked as an interviewer for Men and Motors. For the channel, she interviewed attendees at the 2001 Max Power Live Motor Show in Birmingham to investigate why people spend so much money to add extras on their vehicles,{{Cite web |title=Why Do People Spend So Much Money On Car Extras? |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ipvck |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Men and Motors |language=en-US}} tested vehicles, and interviewed celebrities such as Jeremy Clarkson. Her other televisions roles include presenting House Race for ITV with Mike Brewer.{{Citation |title=House Race |type=Documentary |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426716/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |others=Mike Brewer, Jane Omorogbe |publisher=Newman Productions}}
In 2024, Omorogbe was interviewed by GladPod: The Gladiators Podcast. When former Gladiators referee John Anderson died, also in 2024, she tweeted: "this man literally changed my life in one simple phone call. Forever grateful. Thank you for believing in something I couldn't see."{{Cite web |date=2024-07-29 |title=Glasgow-born Gladiators referee John Anderson dies aged 92 |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/entertainment/tv_radio/24481552.glasgow-born-gladiators-referee-john-anderson-died/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Glasgow Times |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Jess |date=2024-07-29 |title=GMB halts show for 'devastating' breaking news as star pays tribute to TV icon |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/gmb-suddenly-halts-show-devastating-33346150 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=The Mirror |language=en}}
Writing
Omorogbe became a motorbike journalist in 2001. Omorogbe became the main motorbike reporter for The Sun and The Times newspapers, and launched the iPad magazine Global Biker in 2013.{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Lizzi Smith |date=2013-05-08 |title=Global Biker |url=https://www.spydermotorcycles.co.uk/global-biker/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Spyder Motorcycles |language=en-GB}} She wrote motorbike reviews for the Press Association.{{Cite web |date=2006-08-23 |title=Vivaldi test for ITV presenter Jane Omorogbe |url=https://www.crash.net/bsb/news/4975/1/vivaldi-test-for-itv-presenter-jane-omorogbe |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Crash.net |language=en}} These reviews were published by a variety of publications, including the motorbike section of MSN Cars,{{cite news
|url=http://cars.uk.msn.com/motorbikes/
|title=MSN Cars motorcycle section
|publisher=MSN
|date=22 August 2007
|accessdate=11 November 2009
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016123612/http://cars.uk.msn.com/motorbikes/
|archivedate=October 16, 2009
}}
and for local publications such as the The Coventry Evening Telegraph,{{Cite news |last=Omorogbe |first=Jane |date=20 October 2006 |title=Easy riders; Are bikes becoming too fast and too furious? Don't worry, there are lots of new rider aids heading for the market, says JANE OMOROGBE. |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Easy+riders%3B+Are+bikes+becoming+too+fast+and+too+furious%3F+Don%27t...-a0153077106 |work=Coventry Evening Telegraph |via=The Free Library}} Guernsey Press,{{Cite news |last=Omorogbe |first=Jane |date=19 June 2013 |title=Cheap and extremely cheerful |url=https://guernseypress.com/news/motoring/2013/06/19/cheap-and-extremely-cheerful/ |work=Guernsey Times}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025}} and The South Wales Argus.{{Cite web |last=Omorogbe |first=Jane |date=2009-09-25 |title=Real retro looks, super cool ride - Triumph Bonneville SE |url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/4649891.real-retro-looks-super-cool-ride-triumph-bonneville-se/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=South Wales Argus |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Omorogbe |first=Jane |date=2009-11-13 |title=GOOD BUT NOT GRAND TOURER - Aprilia Shiver GT |url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/4739021.good-but-not-grand-tourer-aprilia-shiver-gt/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=South Wales Argus |language=en}}
Omorogbe retired from journalism in 2016. As of 2025, she works as a strength, nutrition and mindset coach.{{Cite web |title=Get fit to ride with Jane Omorogbe |url=https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/fit-to-ride/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Motorcyclenews.com |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Jane Omorogbe}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0648469|name=Jane Omorogbe}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070103103335/http://tonyclayman.com/jane.htm Bio at her agents website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Omorogbe, Jane}}
Category:Actresses from Newcastle upon Tyne
Category:English beauty pageant winners
Category:English television presenters
Category:Motorcycle journalists
Category:Black British fashion people