Strictly Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba has spoken publicly for the first time about the death of his sibling Lola, who died in April this year. The BBC Sport presenter, 39, described the loss as a 'really difficult year' for his family.
In an interview on John Reynolds' Extraordinary Life Stories podcast, Ore revealed that his sister was non-binary and had left a goodbye letter explaining their identity. 'I wasn't prepared to lose my sister. She's been with me every day since,' he said.
Ore praised Lola's courage, saying: 'What my sister did in choosing to find peace in death that they couldn't find in life – that was strength, that was courage, and that was brave.' He added that his sister's death had given him a new perspective on life, urging others to 'make the most of every single second'.
The sports broadcaster also addressed speculation about his own sexuality on social media, stating he is not gay 'in the traditional or sexual sense' but embracing a 'new, truest version' of himself without shame. He said his sister's death was a 'wake-up call' to live authentically.
