AJ Odudu is a British television presenter who was born in Blackburn, Lancashire to Nigerian parents.
Onatejiro “AJ” Odudu was the co-hostess of both Big Brother UK and Celebrity Big Brother UK’s Bit on the Side, alongside both Rylan Clark and Emma Willis during the 2013 series of the two shows.
In 2023, she was named co-host of the revival series alongside Will Best.
Who is AJ Odudu?
AJ Odudu , real name Onatejiro Odudu was born in Blackburn, Lancashire. Her mother, Florence, and father, James, are Nigerian and she is one of eight children (five boys and three girls).
Her parents had an arranged marriage, for which her mother immigrated to England from Nigeria in the 1970s.
Her father worked as a bus conductor, and her mother worked as a seamstress, cleaner, and dinner lady at a private school.
Odudu attended St Bede’s RC High School and St Mary’s College in Blackburn. She later graduated with a degree in English and Politics from Keele University.
Career
AJ Odudu began her career as a reporter for BBC Blast based at Radio Lancashire.
Her first presenting roles began in 2009 on the BBC Two series The Almost Perfect Guide to Life and on The 5:19 Show, an online show on the BBC website, having previously served as the latter’s ‘raving reporter’.
In 2010, she was a guest on 100 Greatest Toys, a one-off special broadcast on Channel 4. She starred as herself in Comedy Lab in 2011 and co-presented Sky Arts’ coverage of the Isle of Wight Festival 2012.
In June 2013, Odudu began presenting Big Brother’s Bit on the Side with Rylan Clark-Neal and Emma Willis, and then Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Psych from August 2013.
Her departure from the show was confirmed in November 2013, being replaced by Celebrity Big Brother 12 contestant and former Loose Women panellist, Carol McGiffin.
In August 2013, Odudu launched her own blog on Hello magazine’s UK website. From 2015 to 2019, Odudu hosted the 4Music programme Trending Live!, with Jimmy Hill and Vick Hope.
She regularly presented the online Facebook quiz game “Confetti” in March and April 2019. In July 2021, she won the second series of Celebrity Karaoke Club on ITV2.
Also in that month, Odudu was confirmed as co-host of a one-off revival edition of The Big Breakfast, presenting alongside the already-announced Mo Gilligan, for Channel 4 in September 2021.
In March 2022, she co-hosted The Great Comic Relief Prizeathon alongside Vernon Kay. Odudu presented the UK jury points in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.
In June 2022 she was a presenter for the BBC’s coverage of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.
On 10 January 2023, it was announced that Odudu would co-host the official handover and semi-final allocation draw for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 that will be broadcast live on BBC Two.
In April 2023, it was announced that Odudu would be hosting the ITV revival of Big Brother, alongside Will Best.
AJ Odudu Husband: Is AJ Odudu married?
Onatejiro “AJ” Odudu isn’t married. She did open up about being single in an interview with the Mail Online in 2020, explaining the pandemic had affected her chances of dating.
“2020 is not the year for my love life,” she began, adding: “I have been all alone, I didn’t move back in with family, I didn’t see anyone. I took it so seriously for months, so to come out of it still sane, I was really proud of myself!”
She continued: “It’s so funny because I thought ‘right this is the time I’m going to go on a date!’ and then just as I was getting out there, lockdown two happened and now I’m just focused on work.”
AJ Odudu Children: Does AJ Odudu have children?
As of September 2023, TV presenter AJ does not have any children.
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