She’s one of our rising talents having won over audiences with her down-to-earth presenting skills as well as her impressive stint on Strictly, yet AJ Odudu still finds herself having to work twice as hard as anyone else.
The 34-year-old has previously said how being a Black woman has meant she hasn’t had the same opportunities as white female hosts, and she feels she continually has to prove herself.
She has said, “Even if you don’t get told (that you need to work harder to get half as far as white peers), you feel it. The opportunities you get and the things that you do, you know in your heart of hearts that you’ve had to jump through many more hoops than your counterparts.”
Commenting on the struggles she has experienced during her career, Blackburn-born AJ tells us, “The world isn’t fair and life isn’t fair, and even though we don’t say it, we feel it and we know it.
“The facts are the facts but hopefully people will continue to make a lot of progressive change. I’m aware that change will take a very, very long time and I wish it would hurry up, but we are where we are.”
While hopeful for change, AJ’s approach has always been to make the most of every opportunity. And this has definitely been the case with her latest role, as she is about to front a new series of Channel 4 challenge show The Bridge. Here, two teams go head-to-head to build a bridge in just 12 days to win a £200,000 cash prize.
The show is also set to appear in the US on HBO Max. So does she dream of joining the Brit pack, along with the likes of James Corden and Cat Deeley, who have carved out careers in the States?
Bu hikaye OK! UK dergisinin May 30, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye OK! UK dergisinin May 30, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
A CITY OF TWO HALVES
There's a holiday for every budget to be found in Dubai, as OK!'s Faith Richardson discovered
'Christmas is a double whammy'
Chef James Martin on the pressures of dividing his time between his restaurants and his family over the festivities
LEARN HOW TO PLEASE YOURSELF
The festive season can be an incredibly stressful time, particularly for people-pleasers who struggle to put their own needs first
'There's a bit of faking it until you make it'
Actor Paul Mescal on entering the Gladiator II arena, building a blockbuster body for his role as fighter Lucius Verus, and heading up an A-list cast of Hollywood's finest stars
THE A-LIST HAIL HOLLYWOOD'S BIG HITTERS
A line-up of the film world's best-known faces attended this year's Governors Awards to celebrate lifetime achievements
'I think we arrived right on time'
The stars of the long-awaited film Wicked, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, tell us why its themes are so relevant right now and why the musical is so dear to their hearts
'No one knows who I am'
Having first found fame on social media, GK Barry has become the breakout star of this year's I'm A Celebrity
'I still pinch myself about how we met'
Now legally married, MAFS Uk’s Adam and Tayah Aveling are looking forward to Christmas with their daughter and welcoming baby number two in 2025
THE ROYAL WEEK
It was a sad week for Queen Camilla, but a good week for the royal family’s charities with visits to hospitals and homeless centres
WILLIAM AND KATE'S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS
After a challenging year for the royal family, the Prince and Princess of Wales plan to give their children an unforgettable time filled with fun and festivities