Ore Oduba is a British television and radio presenter and actor. He is well known for winning the fourteenth series of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2016.
1985
United Kingdom
British/Nigerian
Between October 2012 and May 2017- he presented the daytime BBC One insurance fraud documentary programme Claimed and Shamed
In November 2016 Oduba guest presented an episode of This Morning with Holly Willoughby on ITV
In 2016 Oduba participated in the fourteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, 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 (who originally performed this). 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. In the final on 17 December 2016, the couple were announced as the winners
In 2017 Oduba sat in for Claudia Winkleman and Steve Wright on their respective BBC Radio 2 shows.
In 2018 Oduba presented the Saturday night game show And They’re Off! For Sport Relief on BBC One. He also co-hosted the main coverage of Sport Relief 2018 live on BBC One and presented Britain’s Favourite Walks: Top 100 alongside Julia Bradbury for ITV. Oduba hosts the BBC One game show Hardball.
He returned to present a second episode of This Morning with Holly Willoughby in March 2017 and a third with Davina McCall in Februaryand 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
In 2021 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
He was educated at Dumpton School, then Canford School, a co-educational independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Canford Magna, in Dorset.
An accomplished rugby player, his skills were really showcased when routinely running over Pat Knight, the mercurial Lord Wandsworth College fly half, in the 03/04 season.
He studied Sports Science and Social Science at Loughborough University and graduated in 2008.
Oduba had always aimed for a career in sports broadcasting, 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.
Spouse – Portia Oduba
Son – Roman Oduba
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ore_Oduba#Early_life_and_education accessed 19/03/2022
https://www.rockyhorror.co.uk/cast/ore-oduba accessed 19/03/2022
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4PM8ZqC3Pd5swPd2DFCc8n1/ore-oduba accessed 19/03/2022
