Former BBC presenter Ortis Deley has revealed that he divorced his wife Rachel after 15 years of marriage, describing the past year as the "toughest" of his life. The 53-year-old, known for hosting Short Change and The Gadget Show, shared the news on Instagram alongside a screenshot of a government email confirming he could proceed with the next stage of his divorce application.
Divorce announcement and emotional statement
In the email, which Ortis shared online, it read: "You can now continue to the the next stage of your divorce application, and apply for a 'conditional order'." A conditional order confirms that there is no reason to prevent a divorce from taking place.
Ortis married Rachel in 2011, and the couple share two children, Phoenix and Quincy. Both Ortis and Rachel have unfollowed each other on Instagram.
In the caption, Ortis explained how difficult the process has been. He said: "One year since my world shifted. I'm doing much better now, but man, this has been the toughest year of my life, because I never thought this would be a chapter in my life's story. I still have some healing to do; therapy has been essential.
"Family and friends have been irreplaceable during this time and I can never thank them enough for helping me keep it together. I'm extremely grateful for each and every one of them."
Career highlights and early life
Ortis, who grew up in South London, first found fame on Bling Date, where he was spotted by industry manager Jan Simmonds. He later gained acting credits, including a cameo in the 2006 film Derailed alongside Jennifer Aniston, as well as appearances in Doctors, The Bill and the 2006 film Kidulthood.
He began his presenting career hosting the breakfast show Up Your Street for LWT, before working for Trouble TV on shows including Smash Hits Roadshow from 1998 to 2000. He joined the BBC in 2001, presenting Short Change and Live & Kicking, and a year later began hosting Xchange on CBBC. By 2009, he was chosen to host The Gadget Show alongside Suzi Perry, Jon Bentley and Jason Bradbury.
Alongside television, Ortis has worked in radio, hosting a sports show on BBC Radio 5 Live during the Sydney Olympics and a Sunday-morning slot on Choice FM. Fellow TV stars showed support in the comments of his divorce post, including Judi Love, who wrote: "So much love hun," and Angellica Bell, who added: "Love you O."
