Former Strictly Come Dancing champion Ore Oduba has publicly revealed a deeply meaningful new tattoo, just days after bravely opening up about his lifelong battle with a porn addiction that started when he was just nine years old.
A Symbol of a Transformative Year
The 39-year-old television presenter took to Instagram to showcase his tenth tattoo, which features the word 'Serendipity' inked beneath his left collarbone, accompanied by a delicate butterfly design. In a lengthy and emotional post, Oduba described this word as the perfect summation of his past year, marked by profound personal struggles and spiritual awakenings.
He wrote candidly about experiencing signs so powerful they were impossible to ignore, often leaving him in tears. "Sometimes the signs are SO loud you just cannot ignore them," he shared, "and so often this year I have had to just hold my hands up - or more likely, ball my eyes out - unable to believe what I am seeing, feeling or experiencing and simply recognise there are angels at work."
Faith and the Battle with Shame
Oduba credited his faith as a crucial source of strength over the last two years, guiding him through his darkest moments. He expressed a belief that being open to forces beyond our control allows these guiding signs to appear with sharp clarity. "In my experience, there's been no greater guide... than my gut and my faith," he stated.
This revelation comes on the heels of his courageous decision to speak publicly about a secret he had carried for three decades. Oduba confessed that shame had kept him silent for 30 years, a burden he only felt able to shed after experiencing two deaths and a divorce. His decision to go public is driven by a desire to raise awareness and protect future generations from similar struggles.
A Childhood Addiction and a Call to Action
Oduba recounted that his addiction began at the tender age of nine after an older brother of a friend showed him adult content on a computer. He described an immediate feeling of intrigue and his eyes being opened, which quickly evolved into an addiction. "It didn't take long relatively speaking, for that intrigue to start running my mind over," he recalled.
He highlighted the particular shame associated with this form of addiction, which makes it incredibly difficult for sufferers to speak out. Growing up with a strict father further compounded his feelings of isolation, making it impossible for him to confide in his family.
Now, Oduba is using his platform to break the stigma. "This is me putting my life as it is on the line, to save my children and to guide anybody else's children," he said emotionally. He described this moment as a seminal line in the sand, with the rest of his life truly beginning "the day after this" revelation, hoping his story will serve as a vital guide for others navigating the dangers of easily accessible online content.
