Ore Oduba revealed on Tuesday that he’s been diagnosed with ADHD, a condition his sister also struggled with for many years before tragically taking her own life. He shared the news while visibly emotional.
The Strictly Come Dancing champion recently shared that he was diagnosed with a neurological condition that impacts over 2.5 million people in the UK, and he only received the diagnosis two weeks ago.
On the ADHD podcast Beyond The Label, 39-year-old Ore Oduba shared that he felt a huge weight lifted when he finally understood the lifelong patterns of obsessive behavior he’d been experiencing.
He explained that he’s always been aware of his particular habits and preferences – things he likes done a certain way. While these behaviors feel normal to him, he recognizes they’re unusual and could bother others, often anticipating potential annoyance.
I’ve always dealt with things internally, and that’s worked for me. I don’t usually let it show, but even recently, there have been times when I’ve thought, “Wow, that’s definitely my ADHD taking over!”
He explained that receiving an ADHD diagnosis, even recently, has given him a way to understand and describe feelings he’s had his whole life, which finally makes sense to him.
Currently starring as Frankenstein in a stage production at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre, actor Ore Oduba feels his ADHD – which involves both difficulty focusing and periods of intense concentration – has actually helped his performance career.
He explained that many of the reported symptoms closely resemble the qualities needed to thrive in the performing arts and while performing on stage.
This method is great for quickly mastering choreography, scripts, or scenes. When we have a short timeframe – like three weeks – we focus intensely on one thing, which doesn’t leave room for the usual rehearsal process needed to perfect it.
It breaks my heart to share that Ore’s sister, Lola, bravely fought her own struggles with this condition. Sadly, she passed away in April at just 37 years old, and it was a devastating loss. I remember how strong she was, even while facing such a difficult battle.
The TV personality previously shared that his non-binary sibling spent years trying to understand their identity. In the last five years, made more difficult by personal hardships, they faced increasing emotional and physical struggles before ultimately passing away.
He remembered when his sister first received her diagnosis, explaining that she had spent years trying to understand what was going on. Finally being diagnosed with both autism and ADHD was a relief, as it provided a lifelong explanation for her behaviors and how her brain worked. She was able to articulate how it finally made sense of everything she had experienced.
Lola, who used to work as a journalist for The Guardian and is also a trained chef – they even appeared on the show Come Dine with Me – recently shared a deeply personal letter explaining that they had come to identify as non-binary after facing some difficult times.
Oduba fought back tears as he read a poem his sister wrote about her battles with mental health. She had written two poems, and this one used imagery and metaphor to express her feelings.
Oh my gosh, it’s just… this low, constant thrum, like a fridge, but electric. It’s not just on and off, it’s always there, a deep, steady hum that just… vibrates in your chest. It’s mesmerizing, honestly. That motor, just running, it’s everything.
‘Light flicks on when you open the door, a clever little switch, but my light, it’s always on.’
The TV personality’s voice cracked with emotion as he read the poem aloud from his phone. The poem concluded with the heartbreaking line, ‘I’m tired.’
In a September appearance on the ITV show Loose Women, Peter Oduba shared his commitment to living a more courageous and meaningful life, inspired by his daughter, Lola.
He shared that he’s now living a life that feels sustainable for the future, something his sister, who tragically died by suicide, wasn’t able to experience.
I’ll always talk about my sister, and I’m thankful I have a place where I can do so.
If anything in this article has upset you, please reach out for help. You can contact the ADHD helpline at 0800 55 44 33 or Samaritans at 116 123.
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2025-10-22 20:11