Ore Oduba
{{Short description|British television and radio presenter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ore Oduba
| image = Ore Oduba 2018.jpg
| caption = Oduba in 2018
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|11|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = London, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Presenter
| spouse = {{marriage|Portia Jett Culmer|2015|2025|end=divorced}}
| children = 2
| birthname =
| URL = http://oreodubaofficial.com
| credits = {{nowrap|Newsround
BBC Sport
Claimed and Shamed
Match of the Day Kickabout
The One Show
The National Lottery Draws
Strictly Come Dancing
And They're Off!
Hardball
Noughts + Crosses}}
}}
Ore Oduba (born 17 November 1985){{cite news| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7550000/newsid_7556400/7556408.stm |publisher=BBC News |title=All about Ore |date=12 August 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-11-19/who-is-ore-oduba-strictly-come-dancing-2016-contestant-guide|title=Who is Ore Oduba? Strictly Come Dancing 2016 contestant guide|work=Radio Times|access-date=17 December 2016}} is a British television and radio presenter who has also worked as an actor.{{Cite web |title=Ore Oduba - Latest news, opinion, features, previews, video - The Mirror |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/ore-oduba |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=mirror |language=en}} 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.
Early life and education
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.{{cite web|title=Sports presenter Ore Oduba's journey to Strictly success|url= https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/sports-presenter-ore-odubas-journey-to-strictly-success-35304369.html|work=belfasttelegraph.co.uk |date=December 19, 2016}}{{cite web|title=Ore Oduba|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4PM8ZqC3Pd5swPd2DFCc8n1/ore-oduba|work=bbc.co.uk |date=December 19, 2016}} He was educated at Dumpton School, then Canford School, 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.{{cite web|title=Strictly star Ore Oduba's Dorset school days|url= https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/people/celebrity-interviews/22565833.strictly-star-ore-odubas-dorset-school-days/|work=greatbritishlife.co.uk |date=March 18, 2022}}
Oduba was a talented sports player in his youth, he was a rugby prop, a hockey goalkeeper, also played tennis and cricket.
He studied Sports Science and Social Science at Loughborough University and graduated with a degree in 2008.{{cite web|url= http://www.lboro.ac.uk/alumni/news/2016/alumnus-ore-oduba-takes-to-the-strictly-stage.html|title=2016 - Alumnus Ore Oduba takes to the Strictly stage - Loughborough Alumni |publisher=Loughborough University|access-date=17 December 2016}}
Career
Oduba had always aimed for a career in sports broadcasting,{{cite web|url=http://www.ideastap.com/IdeasMag/the-knowledge/ore-oduba-interview|title=Ore Oduba, TV presenter|publisher=IdeasTap|access-date=16 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805104215/http://www.ideastap.com/IdeasMag/the-knowledge/ore-oduba-interview|archive-date=5 August 2017|url-status=dead}} 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. 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. 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.
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/3mJ9xN6BvCZ3SyZ2641klvL/ore-sonali|title=Ore & Sonali|work=Let's Dance for Comic Relief|publisher=bbc.co.uk|access-date=16 October 2016}}
He played the role of Nathan in Hacker Time on CBBC. Since 2015, he has guest presented numerous episodes of The One Show.
From 2015–16, 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportrelief.com/whats-going-on/hell-on-high-seas|title=Hell on High Seas|publisher=Sport Relief|access-date=16 October 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018035619/http://www.sportrelief.com/whats-going-on/hell-on-high-seas|archive-date=18 October 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://home.bt.com/news/bt-life/x-11364043857543|title=Celebrity crew set sail around the UK for the BT Sport Relief Challenge: Hell on High Seas|work=BT.com |publisher=BT|access-date=16 October 2016}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.curvemedia.com/claimed-and-shamed|title=Curve Media TV Production|publisher=Curve Media|access-date=17 December 2016}} 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,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/strictlycomedancing/entries/d77143c8-ab28-4040-ab06-c7728f685221|title=Presenting our fourth Strictly celebrity… Ore Oduba|date=11 August 2016|publisher=BBC|access-date=16 October 2016}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/national/article/Widows-praise-for-Strictlys-Ore-Oduba-like-blessing-from-Gene-Kelly-himself-f7f08fe7-3600-42dd-821b-3af4688cf5bc-ds|title=Widow's praise for Strictly's Ore Oduba like 'blessing from Gene Kelly himself'|work=North West Evening Mail|date=13 October 2016|access-date=17 December 2016}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/tvfilm/strictly-come-dancing-2016-ore-oduba-receives-first-10s-of-the-series-as-daisy-lowes-sexy-rumba-a3370231.html%5B|title=Ore Oduba receives first 10s of this year's Strictly Come Dancing for 'jaw-dropping' jive|date=15 October 2016 |work=London Evening Standard |access-date=16 October 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/strictly-come-dancing-ore-oduba-first-ten_uk_58033742e4b0ee3352125a15|title='Strictly' Judges Give Their First 10s This Series... But Not To Danny Mac!|date=16 October 2016|work=Huffington Post|access-date=16 October 2016}} In the final, on 17 December, after the couple scored the maximum 40 points for their jive, they were announced as the winners.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/strictly-come-dancing-final-who-won-danny-max-louise-redknapp-ore-oduba-a7481811.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/strictly-come-dancing-final-who-won-danny-max-louise-redknapp-ore-oduba-a7481811.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Ore Oduba crowned winner of Strictly Come Dancing 2016|date=17 December 2016|work=The Independent|access-date=17 December 2016}}
In 2017, Oduba sat in for Claudia Winkleman and Steve Wright, on their respective BBC Radio 2 shows, on a number of occasions.
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/dan-mcgolphin-hardball-chase-the-case|title=BBC - Dan McGolpin announces exciting new factual and entertainment commissions for BBC One Daytime - Media Centre|publisher=BBC|access-date=28 May 2018}}
Oduba made his musical theatre debut in 2019, playing the role of Teen Angel in the UK tour of Grease. He shared the role with singer Peter Andre. Following that, he 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.
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.{{Cite web|url=https://tv24.co.uk/p/noughts-crosses-season-1-episode-1-yupv10|title = Noughts + Crosses, TV}}
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.
Personal life
In November 2015, Oduba married TV researcher Portia Jett Culmer, daughter of Nick "Animal" Culmer, lead singer of punk rock band Anti-Nowhere League.{{Cite web|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/former-strictly-come-dancing-winner-121040393.html|title=Former Strictly Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba announces split from wife|date=17 October 2024|website=Yahoo News}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbcstudios.com/news/celebrities-attend-uk-premiere-of-blueys-big-play/|title=Celebrities attend UK premiere of Blueys Big Play|website=www.bbcstudios.com}} They have two children.{{cite web|url= https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/2016112034720/ore-oduba-celebrates-first-wedding-anniversary-with-wife-portia/ |title=Ore Oduba celebrates first wedding anniversary with wife Portia|work=Hello!|access-date=17 December 2016|date=20 November 2016}}{{Cite web |date=2017-08-09 |title=Nigerian-born British celebrity broadcaster, Ore Oduba, wins Strictly Come Dancing |url=https://punchng.com/nigerian-born-british-celebrity-broadcaster-ore-oduba-wins-strictly-come-dancing/ |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}} In January 2024 Portia revealed that the couple were divorcing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/725120/strictly-ore-oduba-wife-portia-breaks-silence-divorce/|title=Strictly star's wife breaks silence on shock divorce after nine years of marriage|date=19 October 2024|website=HELLO!}}
In July 2017, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Loughborough University.{{cite web|url=http://www.lboro.ac.uk/news-events/news/2017/july/ore-oduba-honorary-degree/|title=Strictly Come Dancing star receives Honorary Doctorate from Loughborough University|work=Loughborough University |date=20 July 2017 |access-date=10 November 2017}} In November that year, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Bournemouth University.{{cite web|url=https://www1.bournemouth.ac.uk/news/2017-11-08/honorary-doctorate-ore-oduba|title=Honorary Doctorate Ore Oduba|publisher=Bournemouth University|access-date=10 November 2017}} He is an avid supporter of Manchester United.{{Cite news|title=SOCCER AID STARS EXCITED TO PLAY AT OLD TRAFFORD |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-united-legends-and-celebrity-fans-preview-soccer-aid-for-unicef-2020-at-old-trafford |website=Manchester United F.C. |date=6 September 2020 |access-date=10 January 2021}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/simon-webbe-ranvir-singh-host-13348956|title=Simon Webbe and Ranvir Singh to host first ever Ethnicity Awards|last=Newman|first=Vicki|date=2018-10-02|website=The Mirror|access-date=2020-04-19}}
Credits
= TV =
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Channel |
| 2008–2010
| rowspan="2" |Presenter | rowspan="4" |CBBC |
| 2008–2013 |
| 2011–2013
| Presenter |
| 2011-2014
|Guest, various characters |
| 2011–2016
| Sport presenter |
| 2012
|Ultimate Sports Day |Presenter |CBBC |
| 2013
| Contestant |
| 2014
| rowspan="2" | Co-presenter |CBBC |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| rowspan="3" |BBC One |
| New Year Live
| Presenter |
| rowspan="2" | 2015–2016
| Main presenter |
| Victoria Derbyshire
| Sport presenter |
| 2015—
| Guest presenter |
| rowspan="4" |2016
|Sport Relief: Clash of the Titans | Co-presenter | rowspan="4" |BBC One |
| Hell on High Seas
| rowspan="2" | Participant |
| Strictly Come Dancing |
| Claimed and Shamed
| Presenter |
| 2016–2018
| Guest presenter |ITV |
| rowspan="5" | 2017
|Presenter |
| BBC Young Dancer{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/young-dancer-line-up-grand-final|title=BBC - BBC Young Dancer 2017 line-up revealed ahead of BBC Two Grand Final|publisher=BBC|access-date=22 April 2017}}
| rowspan="3" | Co-presenter |
| One Love Manchester |
| World Athletics Championships 2017 |
| The National Lottery Awards
| rowspan="2" | Presenter | rowspan="2" |BBC One |
| rowspan="4" |2018 |
| Britain's Favourite Walks: Top 100
| Co-presenter |ITV |
| Hardball{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/dan-mcgolphin-hardball-chase-the-case?|title=BBC - Dan McGolpin announces exciting new factual and entertainment commissions for BBC One Daytime - Media Centre|publisher=BBC|access-date=28 May 2018}}
| rowspan="2" | Presenter | rowspan="2" |BBC One |
| The Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle |
| rowspan="2" | 2021
| Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins | rowspan="2" | Contestant |
| The Cube
|ITV |
= Television guest appearances =
{{div col}}
- 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)
{{div col end}}
=Radio=
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Station |
| rowspan=2|2017
| rowspan="4" | Stand-in presenter | rowspan="4" |BBC Radio 2 |
| Steve Wright in the Afternoon |
| 2018
|Drive-time |
| 2019- |
= Stage =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:95%"
!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 |
| rowspan="3" | 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 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://oreodubaofficial.com/ Official website]
- [https://twitter.com/OreOduba Official Twitter]
- {{IMDb name|4775638}}
{{Strictly Come Dancing}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oduba, Ore}}
Category:Mass media people from London
Category:Alumni of Loughborough University
Category:BBC sports presenters and reporters
Category:Black British television personalities
Category:English people of Nigerian descent
Category:English television presenters
Category:British children's television presenters