Ore Oduba has spoken publicly about long‑running struggles with addiction, the breakdown of his nine‑year marriage and the suicide of his sister, saying her death changed his outlook and prompted him to seek therapy and sobriety.

The former Strictly Come Dancing champion, who won the show's 2016 final, said he had been living with addiction "pretty much my entire life" and had been "sober" for more than a year. He disclosed that his marriage to Portia, a TV researcher, ended in October and that the couple sold their home in Tonbridge as they went their separate ways. The couple have two children together, son Roman and daughter Genie.

Oduba told how the April death of his sister Lola, 37, had a profound effect on him. Lola, a former Guardian journalist, trained chef and performer, identified as non‑binary in later years and used they/them pronouns, Oduba said. Friends and family marked Lola's life with a memorial walk, the planting of a tree and a funeral at Honor Oak Crematorium in south‑east London that was described by organisers as a celebration, with mourners encouraged to dress in colourful outfits.

In social media posts and interviews, Oduba said he was moved by a farewell letter from Lola and by the way friends recalled their creativity and presence. "My sister is non‑binary, they told us in their goodbye letter," he said. He described Lola's decision to end their life as an act that showed "strength" and "courage," and said her death forced him to reassess his priorities. "We don't know when our last day is... I'm going to make the most of every single second I have left," he said.

Oduba has also explained the rainbow motif he has used in his social profiles, saying the symbol brought him closer to his sister after her death. He wrote that Lola had been "very proudly black and very proudly queer" and that in the last year of their life they identified as non‑binary. Oduba said his sister taught him about the queer community and inspired him to live more authentically.

Addressing questions about his own sexuality, Oduba said he was "shedding a former self to put forward the new, truest version of me," but added he was not gay "in the traditional or sexual sense." He has described a period in which he "lost his faith" and said his life began "spiralling out of control" before he entered therapy.

Oduba won the Strictly Come Dancing glitterball trophy in 2016 in what was the programme's most‑watched final, an appearance that led to a wider broadcasting and stage career. At the time of his remarks he said the fame that followed the show masked private difficulties, including family strains during the COVID‑19 lockdown and the breakdown of his marriage, which he described as a "really difficult year." Portia Oduba has written about the challenges of single parenthood on social media and has said family members have supported her since the split.

Family details have been noted in public accounts: Oduba and his siblings were born to Nigerian parents and raised in Wimborne Minster, Dorset. Their mother, Fola, helped establish a local branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God before moving to London. Oduba has an older brother and sister; friends and relatives have spoken publicly about Lola's creativity and battles with mental and physical health issues in recent years.

Oduba has said he now sees it as his responsibility to carry forward Lola's legacy and to prioritise wellbeing and authenticity. He has credited therapy and support for his recovery and described his current focus on making changes in his life that he believes are important for himself and his children.

For anyone affected by the issues raised in Oduba's account, confidential support is available. In the United Kingdom, contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.