Life hasn’t been easy for former Strictly Come Dancing champion Ore Oduba, who has revealed how his world “went up in smoke” in recent years.
The 39-year-old presenter shared a deeply personal reflection on loss, heartbreak, and healing — and how his Christian faith became the only constant door that never closed on him.
A Series of Heartbreaking Losses
Ore has faced one blow after another. He lost both his father and his sister, and last year went through a painful divorce from his ex-wife Portia.
Speaking honestly on John Reynolds’ Extraordinary Life Stories podcast, he explained that rediscovering his faith was the turning point that saved him.
“I had to be prepared to lose everything in order to save myself,” he said.
“And when you get to that point, you realise nothing matters more than your purpose.
For me, that meant focusing on my kids and living as my true, authentic self.”
Therapy, Faith, and Starting Over
Ore described the past 12 to 18 months as a complete reset.
Therapy, reading, and seeking knowledge gave him the strength to rebuild — but ultimately, it was reconnecting with his faith that changed everything.
He admitted that after winning Strictly in 2016, his spiritual life “fell off a cliff,” leaving him to believe he was in total control of his destiny.
That false sense of control, he said, spiraled into stress and confusion until he finally hit rock bottom.
“The one door that was never closed,” Ore shared, “was the Church. That’s where it all began again for me.”
The Pain of Losing His Sister
Ore also spoke about his sister Lola’s tragic passing earlier this year.
Lola, who was non-binary, died by suicide in April — a devastating loss that has deeply shaped his perspective on life.
Reflecting on their bravery, Ore said: “What my sister did in choosing to find a peace in death that they couldn’t find in life… that was strength, that was courage, that was brave.”
He added that despite their struggles, Lola lived more fully in their final five years than in the previous three decades.
For Ore, carrying their legacy has now become his responsibility.
A New Outlook on Life
The experience has left Ore determined not to waste a single moment. “We don’t know when our last day is,” he said.
“There isn’t time — so I’m going to make the most of every second I have left.”
He now focuses on what truly matters, choosing not to get caught up in things that don’t.
“When you’ve been through something that puts life into perspective, your whole outlook changes,” he explained.
A Difficult Divorce and Moving Forward
Ore and Portia, who married in 2015 after meeting at university, share two young children — Roman, seven, and Genie, four.
The couple separated last year, announcing the news in a joint statement asking for privacy and kindness during the transition.
Looking back, Ore admits the end of his marriage was one of the many painful shifts that forced him to rebuild from the ground up.
But with faith, therapy, and family guiding him, he is now determined to move forward with strength.
