Ore Oduba, the television presenter turned stage star who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2016, has revealed the extraordinary effort behind lifting the glitterball trophy. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk alongside his former professional partner Joanne Clifton, Oduba credited her “champion’s mindset” for their victory.
Chemistry and Hard Work
“We had this amazing chemistry and we bonded so much in rehearsal. She has a champion's mindset definitely. And that's what you need,” Oduba said. He reflected on a conversation with X Factor winner Joe McElderry, noting that viewers often forget the ability required to win such competitions. “You don't get to the end by chance. It is absolutely something that the audience have to want,” he added.
Oduba emphasised the unseen grind: “Behind the scenes is graft, determination, hard work, pain, blood, sweat, and tears. All of that stuff happens beforehand.” He and Clifton shared a belief that hard work was the only path to success. “We didn't know where it was going to lead, but we knew we were going to put everything into every single training rehearsal and every single week while we had the opportunity,” he said.
Reunited for a New Tour
Now, a decade after their win, Oduba and Clifton are reuniting for the first time since the show in a limited theatre tour titled “10 – Joanne and Ore – Champions Reignited.” The tour will revisit their Strictly journey and their subsequent West End successes. “It feels mad 10 years later to think, can we do it again? You just have to get back into that cauldron, the pain room,” Oduba laughed.
He explained that the conversation about reuniting became more real in the last couple of years. “We've gone on to create these brand new careers. Strictly was the launch pad and we have performed in so many massive shows on the West End and around the country. We're still performing at the very highest level and Strictly was the start of that. What a perfect kind of firework to bring all of that stuff together,” he said.
Tour Details
The tour begins at Bournemouth Pavilion on August 17 and will travel across the country. Tickets are available from venue websites. Oduba and Clifton famously beat Joanne's own brother Kevin, who was paired with singer Louise Redknapp that year.
