Ore Oduba, the well-known TV presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing champion, has courageously revealed he is undergoing treatment for a porn addiction that began in his childhood. The 39-year-old father of two disclosed that his first exposure to pornographic images occurred at the tender age of nine. In a candid interview on the "We Need To Talk" podcast with Paul Brunson, Oduba expressed the profound fear associated with speaking publicly about his addiction, yet emphasized his unwavering resolve to highlight the critical issue of children's increasing access to sexual imagery on social media platforms. He admitted that the decision to open up publicly left the "vast majority" of him terrified, but he felt it was a necessary step to "save my children."

During the emotional podcast discussion, Oduba articulated his motivation, stating, "This is me putting my life as it is on the line, to save my children and to guide anybody else’s children going into a world where at their fingertips, they can fall into something they never asked to." He acknowledged the personal sacrifice, describing it as a "seminal draw-the-line moment" that marks the beginning of the rest of his life. Oduba recounted that his initial encounter with adult images happened on a computer, introduced by a friend's older brother. While not immediately addicted, he became intrigued, subsequently seeking more such content through television, magazines, and computers over the decades. Despite experiencing intense shame, he managed to compartmentalize this aspect of his life from other areas.

Oduba described the isolating nature of his addiction, explaining, "It's very isolating. It was something that I just knew to be me. Just a part of me. Something that I would always go to to feel. If you ever felt worthless, if you ever felt rejected. It was always a thing." His primary drive to speak out stems from a desire to equip his own children to navigate a world where they will inevitably encounter various societal pitfalls, including sexual content online. He recognized the urgent need to address his own struggle but was particularly moved to action by reports detailing what other children are experiencing at a societal level. He stated, "I can’t keep quiet about what I suffered, went through and escaped, only to save my children.”

Ore Oduba firmly believes that the widespread availability of pornography and easy access to such images constitutes one of the most significant societal problems today. He was compelled to speak out, despite the potential damage to his reputation, asserting, "This is, I believe, one of the biggest problems we have societally. There is such a prevalence. And I know that nobody, certainly nobody in my position, would ever think it wild enough to bring it to the table because of the perception. Because of the risk of reputation, because of the risk of a life as they know it being over." He underscored the alarming statistic that "60 percent of children are finding it accidentally," with content "cropping up on iPads" and becoming "societally... so normal." Oduba warned that if left unaddressed, children would "start self educating" on these matters.

Delving into his personal history, Oduba previously presented CBBC’s Newsround from 2008 to 2013 and famously won Strictly Come Dancing in 2016. He shares a son, Roman, and a daughter, Genie, with TV researcher Portia Culmer, though the couple reportedly split in 2024. He revealed that a past incident where a sibling was caught smoking around age 10 and threatened by their father with being sent to Nigeria for education, further motivated him to keep his own 'porn interest' a secret. Earlier this year, he also shared the news of his father's passing in October 2023.

Following the podcast interview, Oduba received a wave of support. The Naked Truth charity commended his bravery, with a spokesman stating, "Ore’s story also underscores the importance of safe family environments where children feel able to discuss what they encounter online. We deeply appreciate Ore's courage in addressing this topic, sharing so openly and with such sensitivity." Celebrities like Amber Davies and Strictly co-star Vicky Pattison also voiced their pride and admiration on social media. The full interview is available on the "We Need To Talk" podcast with Paul Brunson.