Life after a Strictly victory and a very public separation puts someone in a rare spotlight. For Ore Oduba, the 2016 champion and familiar British TV face, the last year has been defined by a painful split from wife Portia Jett and the slow work of building a new chapter, including a breakup timeline, his current relationship with his children, and how his career is shifting as he speaks openly about the toll it took.
Full name: Ore Oduba · Born: 17 November 1985 · Known for: Strictly Come Dancing winner (2016) · Spouse: Portia Jett (m. 2015; sep. 2023) · Children: Two · Occupation: TV/radio presenter, actor, podcaster
Quick snapshot
- Ore Oduba and Portia Jett married in 2015 (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia))
- They share two children (HELLO! (celebrity news outlet))
- Ore won Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 (Express (UK daily newspaper))
- Exact reasons for divorce beyond court filings citing ‘unreasonable behavior’ (Yahoo News UK (news aggregation platform))
- Custody arrangement details are not publicly known (Yahoo News UK (news aggregation platform))
- Whether Ore is currently in a relationship (Yahoo News UK (news aggregation platform))
- Early 2024: Couple officially decides to part (The Sun (British tabloid))
- Oct. 2025: Portia publicly in new relationship with Joshua Saxon Birch (Mirror (UK daily newspaper))
- 2025: Ore opens up about porn addiction prompted by the collapse (News Shift (online media platform))
- Ore continues podcast and acting roles (Same source as above)
- Portia managing co-parenting alongside new relationship (Same source as above)
Six key facts, one profile: a British presenter whose public and private lives have collided in the past year.
| Full Name | Ore Oduba |
| Born | 17 November 1985 |
| Profession | TV and radio presenter, actor, podcaster |
| Famous For | Winning Strictly Come Dancing (2016) |
| Partner | Portia Jett (married 2015, separated 2023) |
| Children | 2 |
Are Portia and Ore still together?
Current relationship status
- Ore Oduba and Portia Jett separated in early 2024, Yahoo News UK (news aggregation platform) reported, citing the couple’s own statements.
- Portia was reported to be in a relationship with Joshua Saxon Birch as of October 2025 (Daily Mail (UK daily newspaper)).
- Ore has not publicly confirmed a new partner and has focused his comments on recovery and fatherhood.
Ore called the split “painful” and acknowledged the marriage breakdown as a catalyst for seeking help with a porn addiction, a disclosure he made in a 2025 Mirror (UK daily newspaper) interview.
Does Ore see his kids?
- Ore and Portia have two children: son Roman (born January 2018) and daughter Genie (born 2021) (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).
- Sources close to the family emphasize that both parents are committed to stable co-parenting (Daily Mail (UK daily newspaper)).
- No public court order or formal custody schedule has been disclosed, keeping the logistical details private.
Both parents publicly prioritize the children, even as their personal lives move in separate directions. The privacy around the legal arrangements reflects a shared boundary that could prevent the split from becoming a prolonged public spectacle.
Ore and Portia are separated; Ore focuses on recovery and fatherhood, Portia has moved on publicly. The children remain a shared priority.
The implication: Whether or not the divorce is formally concluded, both parties have moved into very different public and personal orbits — Ore into a period of stark self-disclosure, Portia into a new relationship she has described as a welcome fresh start. What remains constant is their shared focus on their two children.
Why did Ore and Portia divorce?
Ore’s public comments on the split
- Ore described the split as “painful” and his life post-separation as “entirely different” in an interview with the Mirror (UK daily newspaper).
- He revealed in the same interview that the end of the marriage prompted him to get help for a long-running porn addiction, saying he “hit rock bottom.”
Reported reasons for the divorce
- Portia’s petition reportedly cited “unreasonable behavior,” a claim that emerged through Express (UK daily newspaper) coverage of the divorce filings. Ore has not addressed those allegations directly.
What this means: The public narrative is asymmetrical — Ore framed the cause in therapeutic terms (addiction, recovery), while Portia’s filing pointed to behavior during the marriage. The full picture remains private, bound by legal confidentiality and the interests of their young children.
Ore attributes the split to personal struggles leading to addiction; Portia’s filing cites unreasonable behavior. The exact reasons stay confidential.
What is Ore Oduba doing now?
Recent TV and podcast projects
- Ore launched a podcast, broadening his media footprint beyond traditional broadcasting.
- He appeared in the BBC drama Noughts + Crosses and the stage production Curtains, reflecting the shift from presenter to performer outlined by News Shift (online media platform).
- He continues to work as a television and radio presenter alongside public speaking engagements.
The broader career pivot
Ore’s career pivot from ballroom champion to confessional podcast host and stage actor mirrors the personal reinvention forced by the divorce. The public persona is no longer just the smiling Strictly winner, but someone willing to talk about hitting “rock bottom”.
The breadth of his post-split work suggests a deliberate strategy to diversify income streams and public identity, reducing reliance on a single BBC sports-presenter role and building a more resilient media career.
The pattern: Ore is trading the upbeat sports-presenter veneer for a messier, more vulnerable public identity — one that acknowledges addiction, divorce, and uncertainty, while still booking acting gigs and growing his podcast audience.
Timeline of the split and its aftermath
- 1985: Ore Oduba born in London.
- 2010: Meets Portia Jett at Loughborough University (Express (UK daily newspaper)).
- 2015: Marries Portia Jett (HELLO! (celebrity news outlet)).
- 2016: Wins Strictly Come Dancing (HELLO! (celebrity news outlet)).
- 2018: Son Roman born (HELLO! (celebrity news outlet)).
- 2021: Daughter Genie born (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)).
- Early 2024: Separates from Portia Jett (Yahoo News UK (news aggregation platform)).
- 2025: Ore speaks publicly about the split and his recovery (Mirror (UK daily newspaper)).
- October 2025: Portia Jett goes public with new relationship with Joshua Saxon Birch (Daily Mail (UK daily newspaper)).
The sequence is compressed: a decade of marriage, a year of separation, and a single news cycle in which both parties reframed their personal narratives through very different channels — Ore via addiction disclosure, Portia via a new relationship and public statements about the emotional cost of the marriage.
What we know and what we don’t
Confirmed facts
- Ore Oduba and Portia Jett separated in 2023/early 2024. (Yahoo News UK)
- They have two children together. (Wikipedia)
- Ore called the split “painful” in a podcast interview. (Mirror)
- Ore won Strictly Come Dancing in 2016. (HELLO!)
- Portia Jett has publicly moved on with Joshua Saxon Birch. (Daily Mail)
What’s unclear / rumor
- Exact reasons for divorce beyond court filings.
- Custody arrangement details.
- Whether Ore is currently in a relationship.
- The full financial settlement of the divorce.
- Whether the divorce has been formally finalized.
What they said: key quotes on the split
“I hit rock bottom. The breakdown of my marriage forced me to look at myself honestly.”
— Ore Oduba, in a 2025 interview with the Mirror (UK daily newspaper)
“I never want to get married again. This has completely changed my view on relationships.”
— Portia Jett, via a friend, quoted by Daily Mail (UK daily newspaper)
“The children are our priority. Both Ore and Portia are focused on giving them stability.”
— Source close to the family
For Ore Oduba, the path ahead is one of public vulnerability — podcast confessions, stage roles, and the slow trust-building of co-parenting after a very public unraveling. For Portia Jett, the forward momentum is equally decisive: a new relationship, a public voice about the personal cost of the divorce, and a firm boundary around her private life. For followers of both, the choice is clear: accept the new, fractured picture — where addiction, new partners, and unglamorous parenthood take centre stage — or keep waiting for a fairy-tale reunion that is simply not coming.
Fans wanting a deeper look into his early life and career can read Ore Odubas biography and Strictly win for the full story.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ore Oduba in a relationship now?
Ore has not publicly confirmed a new partner since the split. His public statements have focused on his personal recovery and his children.
How many children does Ore Oduba have?
Two: son Roman (born January 2018) and daughter Genie (born 2021).
What is Ore Oduba’s net worth?
Specific figures are not publicly verified, but his Strictly victory and subsequent media career suggest accumulated earnings typical of a mid-tier British television and stage presenter.
What TV shows has Ore Oduba been on?
He is best known for winning Strictly Come Dancing (2016), and has since appeared in the BBC drama Noughts + Crosses, the stage production Curtains, and hosts his own podcast.
Does Ore Oduba still present on BBC?
He has moved into a broader media slate including acting and podcasting, though he remains a familiar face from his broadcasting background.
Where was Ore Oduba born?
London, 17 November 1985.
These FAQs cover the most common questions about Ore Oduba’s personal and professional life, providing clear answers based on available information.
Related reading
Related stories
Edward Davies Bennett is Editor-in-Chief and Responsible Publisher at Insight Britain, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and the corrections process.