Strictly Come Dancing star ‘sad’ to announce shock split after nine-year marriage-Ruth Lawes-Entertainment – Metro

Ore Oduba has parted ways with his partner of more than a decade, Portia (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Strictly Come Dancing champ Ore Oduba has revealed he quietly separated from his wife Portia earlier this year.

The Newsround presenter, 38, married Portia in 2015 and the former couple share two children Roman, six, and Genie, three.

Ore confirmed their split on Instagram and 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.’

The TV presenter previously admitted his marriage became ‘difficult’ after he won Strictly 2016 with pro dancer Joanne Clifton.

He then went on to perform in The Rocky Horror Show tour for 12 months, which kept him on the road for long periods and proved ‘a difficult chapter’ at home.

Ore and Portia share two children Roman and Genie (Picture: Instagram)

Ore met Portia when they were both studying at Loughborough University (Picture: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

‘From a work perspective, it was amazing, an incredible job,’ he told OK of the nationwide tour. ‘But at home it was a difficult chapter to negotiate.’

Ore also confessed he didn’t realise the impact his schedule after Strictly would have on his family life.

He explained: ‘I had a romantic view of parenting before I became a dad.

‘I thought, “We’ll go on holidays all the time and it will be hunky dory and rosy,” but actually it’s very difficult to juggle everything.’

Ore said his schedule changed dramatically after winning Strictly 2016 (Picture: PA)

Ore and Portia both said they had a ‘difficult’ period after Strictly (Picture: PA)

Portia, who joined him in the chat, also explained: ‘I had a newborn baby and Roman, and because we lived in London, we were away from family, and it was really difficult.

‘There were a lot of emotions from both our sides.’

In 2021, Ore appeared on Good Morning Britain where he told host Kate Garraway he’d had a ‘challenging’ year in his relationship.

He said: ‘My wife and I will be ten years together next month and we’ve never done anything more challenging than the last 12 months. There were tears, tantrums.

Ore has previously spoken about having ‘challenging’ moments in his relationship
(Picture: Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment)

‘Roman has enhanced our world more than we could have dreamt but there are times we have to remember that we love each other and what’s why he’s here. He’s been our guardian angel in lockdown but he’s also been the cause of a few little tiffs.

‘It’s just finding that time for each other. Every household is different. Communication is the key. We don’t go to bed in an argument.’

Ore and Portia first met at Loughborough University in 2010 and tied the knot five years later.

As well as appearing on TV shows including Celebrity SAS and The Cube, Ore works as a musical theatre performer. He most recently starred in a touring musical production of Pretty Woman.

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