Strictly star reveals he's been an addict ‘for decades' as he opens up on feelings of ‘shame' after split from wife

The Sun

6 days ago

STRICTLY Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba has bravely opened up about his addiction battle for the first time.
The dad-of-two took to Instagram to share an emotional message with fans, saying he has been fighting addiction for most of his life.
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He shared a photo of himself sitting on a train with his hand over his face, and captioned it: 'Until recently, I had spent most of my life as an addict.
'Shame was interwoven into my addictive behaviours — they went hand-in-hand.
'Through therapy and finally admitting to myself that I'd suffered from addiction pretty much my entire life, I'm so happy to share I've been 'sober' for over a year, if that is indeed how to describe my case.'
He continued: 'Despite living with it silently, secretly for decades… undiagnosed and untreated, it might well in the end have ruined my life.'
Ore, 39, said a turning point came while reading UNAPOLOGETIC by performance coach Annalie Howling, whose work on the topic of shame struck a deep chord.
'Funnily enough I didn't recognise the timing until I started reading this unbelievable book… I devoured it in a day…
'And while her expertise is on shame, pretty much every word Annalie said resonated so deeply with me that I realised I'd actually forgotten I'd made so much progress in the last 12 months.'
The presenter, who won Strictly in 2016, also reflected on a recent video he posted about being scammed.
He revealed how the experience brought up old feelings of shame but that he's now better equipped to handle them.
He added: 'I did feel ashamed of myself for being scammed, yes… but I know now how to deal with those moments of doubt and I pop that little bout of negative talk into a bin bag and throw it in the trash.
Loose Men's Ore Oduba reveals he broke down in tears yesterday while suffering his first panic attack
'I have such a much better relationship with that word now than I used to.'
Oduba also hinted that he may speak in greater detail about his experience with addiction, saying he's begun opening up to friends.
'The more I open up about it, the more compelled I feel to share it publicly one day.
'There comes a point where, once I've dealt with my demons, the most selfish thing I could do is keep it to myself. I know it'll have the power to help a lot of people.'
In October, Ore confirmed that he and wife Portia had split earlier in the year after nine years of marriage.
He said: 'Hi guys. Portia and I are sad to announce that we separated earlier this year.
'We're so grateful for all the love you've shared with us both over the years.
'And we want to thank you in advance for respecting our privacy as we navigated this difficult transition.
'We will be making no further comment. Be kind, always.'
Ore and Portia met while studying at Loughborough University in 2010 and tied the knot five years later in a romantic ceremony at Penshurst Place in Kent.
Reflecting on their big day, Ore previously told The Mirror: 'On my wedding day I cried from 11 in the morning until 2am that night.
'There's a picture of me wailing, my best men there laughing and Portia absolutely cracking up next to me — I am the only one crying.'
The presenter, who is currently starring in stage play Picture You Dead, has been open about his mental health in the past.
He shared that he suffered a panic attack before speaking on Loose Women in 2016.