Portia Jett, the former wife of Strictly Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba, has stepped out publicly with her new boyfriend Joshua Saxon Birch, sharing intimate photos from their romantic date night at a Five concert in London.
A New Chapter Begins
The 35-year-old former TV researcher appeared happier than ever as she cosied up to the British-German businessman during Wednesday night's performance. Portia, who shares two children with television presenter Ore Oduba - seven-year-old Roman and four-year-old Genie - captioned her Instagram post: 'Baby when the lights go out… it's date night.'
This public display of affection comes just one month after the Daily Mail first revealed that Portia had begun dating the 37-year-old data management professional. Friends close to the couple confirm they have been quietly seeing each other for several months after meeting earlier this year.
Finding Happiness After Heartbreak
A source close to the couple revealed: 'She's been through a really tough year but Joshua's brought calm and happiness back into her life. They're taking things slowly, but he's met her kids and everyone says they get on brilliantly. Portia looks happier and more relaxed than she has in ages.'
The relationship marks a positive turning point for Portia, who admitted earlier this year that single parenthood had been challenging. She previously shared: 'What I'm going through is one of the most stressful things – doing the daily grind, looking after two kids and being present. You feel like you're constantly treading water and sometimes I feel like I can't do this anymore.'
Joshua Saxon Birch: The New Man in Her Life
Joshua Saxon Birch brings his own life experience to the relationship, having a six-year-old son named Oliver with his Brazilian ex-girlfriend, Mahh Fernandez. Beyond his work in technology and data management, Joshua demonstrates a strong charitable commitment, having volunteered with homelessness charity Crisis every Christmas for the past nine years, serving food and delivering medical supplies to homeless people in central London.
The couple's date night coincided with Five's highly anticipated reunion tour, which kicked off with the first of three sold-out shows at London's O2 Arena. The 90-minute performance marked the band's first tour in 25 years, featuring original members Abz Love, J Brown, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon.
Portia and Ore Oduba's relationship history includes meeting at Loughborough University in 2010 and marrying five years later. They became one of the BBC's golden couples following Ore's Strictly Come Dancing victory in 2016 with professional dancer Joanne Clifton. The couple shocked fans when they announced their separation last November, with Ore stating: '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.'
Since the split, Ore has focused on theatre work and mental health campaigning, while Portia has been navigating life as a single parent and sharing her journey on social media. Her new relationship with Joshua Saxon Birch appears to signal the beginning of a much happier chapter for the mother of two.
