Ore Oduba, the 2016 Strictly Come Dancing champion, has revealed a 30-year struggle with pornography addiction that began in his childhood. The 40-year-old entertainer says the habit contributed to significant financial losses and the collapse of his marriage to Portia.

The 2016 Strictly win and the trap of self-employment

For Ore Oduba, the pinnacle of professional visibility coincided with a precarious financial shift. After winning the most-watched final in the history of Strictly Come Dancing in 2016, Oduba transitioned from the stability of being a BBC employee to the volatility of self-employment. According to the report, this shift created a "false sense of security" that masked growing instability.

This trajectory is a common echo of the "lottery winner's curse" often seen in reality television stars. When a sudden surge of fame and a high-profile victory occur, the immediate influx of opportunities can obscure the lack of a long-term financial safety net. For Ore Oduba, this instability was not merely a result of career changes but was exacerbated by a private, costly addiction.

A cycle starting at age nine

The root of Oduba's struggle dates back to his childhood, with the addiction beginning at age nine after he was exposed to explicit images. As the report says,this three-decade battle became "life-destroying," eventually leading the entertainer to the brink of suicide. The financial toll was equally severe, with Oduba admitting to spending thousands of pounds on pornography over the years.

Oduba's experience highlights a growing societal concern regarding the ease with which children access sexual imagery online. By sharing his story, the father of two aims to warn parents about the risks of social media and the long-term psychological damage that early exposure to pornography can inflict on developing minds.

The sale of the Kent family home and the split from Portia

The personal fallout of this addiction culminated in the September 2024 separation of Ore Oduba and his wife,Portia. The couple had been married for nine years, but the strain of Oduba's struggles contributed to the marital split. This emotional collapse was mirrored by a financial one, necessitating the sale of their family home in Kent.

The property, which the couple purchased in 2022, was sold earlier this year. The report notes that this sale was particularly devastating for their children, Roman, seven, and Genie, four. Portia, a former TV researcher who has since transitioned into a career as a qualified personal trainer, shared the emotional difficulty of explaining the move to their son, Roman, who was deeply upset by the loss of the family residence.

The motorhome alternative and the end of property ownership

In the wake of his financial turmoil, Ore Oduba is now openly questioning the traditional societal goal of property ownership. Having lost his home in Kent, Oduba has suggested he may never buy another house, instead exploring alternative investments.. He has even mused about the possibility of living in a motorhome with a dog, arguing that a home is defined by more than just "bricks and mortar ."

However, several details remain unclear. While Oduba mentions spending "thousands" on his addiction, the exact scale of his financial losses relative to his earnings from musical theatre productions, such as the UK tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, is not disclosed. Furthermore, it remains to be seen if Oduba is seeking professional clinical treatment for his addiction or if his current public disclosure is part of a self-led recovery process.