| Birth name | Melvin Kuuku Odoom |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 30 July 1980 (age 46) |
| Birth place | Hammersmith, London, England |
| Occupation | DJ · television and radio presenter |
| Television |
|
| Agent | Encanta Talent |
Melvin Kuuku Odoom (born 30 July 1980) is a British radio DJ and television presenter. Alongside Rickie Haywood-Williams and Charlie Hedges, he presented the Kiss FM breakfast show (2009–2018) and since then, on BBC Radio 1 (2019–present). In television, he has been involved in presenting Dick & Dom in da Bungalow (2002–2006), Basil's Swap Shop (2008), the BRIT Awards 2010 and Must Be the Music (2010), The Xtra Factor (2015), Bang on the Money (2016), and MOBO Awards 2016, as well as being a regular guest celebrity on many television shows. He was also a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2024.
Education
Melvin Kuuku Odoom was born on 30 July 1980 in Cricklewood, London.[1][2] He attended the University of Bedfordshire and studied a Media Performance and Radio degree.[3][4] It was at Luton that Odoom met and lived with Rickie Haywood-Williams.
Career
Radio
Odoom, alongside Rickie Haywood-Williams and Charlie Hedges, hosted Kiss Breakfast every weekday morning 6 - 9 am, followed by Kiss Morning Anthems until 10 am on Kiss 100.[5] Kiss Breakfast won Silver at the Sony Radio Awards in 2009 within the category of "Breakfast Show Award",[5] and was nominated for the same prize in 2010,[6] finally winning 'Gold' at the event in 2012.[7] Odoom was part of the Kiss Breakfast team for 10 years, stepping down in 2018.[8]
In April 2019, the trio moved to BBC Radio 1 to present the late night show Monday – Thursday from 9 to 11 pm, also occasionally covering daytime shows.[8] In April 2021, It was announced by Radio 1 that Clara Amfo would be moving to evenings on the station to replace Annie Mac. As part of this reshuffle Odoom, Haywood-Williams and Hedges took on the 10:30–12:45 show including the live lounge.[9]
Since 2025, Odoom has provided holiday and relief cover on BBC Radio 2 for DJ Spoony on The Good Groove.[10]
Television
Odoom and Rickie Haywood-Williams have presented MTV Digs on MTV One, Monday to Saturday between 4 and 7 pm and MTV Music Junkie together — a live studio music show.[11] Odoom presented MTV One's coverage of the BRIT Awards 2010 alongside Haywood-Williams,[12] and also presented coverage of the BAFTA awards alongside Kimberly Walsh for MTV One.[12][11]
In 2010, Odoom and Haywood-Williams also presented the backstage online content for Sky1's Must Be the Music.[5]
Odoom hosted an MTV Leona Lewis special and presented BBC Blast for BBC Two. Odoom was presenting Basil's Swap Shop with Basil Brush in 2008 on Saturday mornings, alongside his days of playing various characters for the long-running show Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow.[7]
From 2013 until 2015, Odoom was a team captain on the BBC Three comedy panel show Sweat the Small Stuff.[5] In 2014, Odoom and Haywood-Williams presented an episode of The Hot Desk featuring Mark Ronson. Since 2015, Odoom and Haywood-Williams co-hosted ITV2's red carpet show at the BRIT Awards alongside Laura Whitmore.[12]
On 18 June 2015, Odoom and Rochelle Humes were confirmed as the new presenters of The Xtra Factor, replacing Sarah-Jane Crawford.[11][12]
Odoom and Haywood-Williams co-presented the Saturday night entertainment series Bang on the Money, which began in April 2016 on ITV.[13]
On 12 August 2016, it was announced that Odoom would take part in the fourteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, and was partnered with Janette Manrara.[14] The couple were the first to leave the competition having had the fewest public votes.[14] However, Odoom and Manrara went on to win the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special.[14][15]
In February 2017, Odoom took part in a celebrity edition of Take Me Out.[5]
In 2017, Odoom and Haywood-Williams took part in Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief.[16]
Since 2017, Odoom has hosted the Channel 4 programme Lego Masters, where teams battle to build the best Lego creations.[17]
In 2020, Odoom took part in Richard Osman's House of Games and became the show's first contestant to score a minus point.[15]
In November 2024, Odoom appeared as a contestant on the twenty-fourth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in which he became the fourth campmate to be eliminated from the series, finishing in ninth place.[18]
Personal life
He is a celebrity ambassador for The Prince's Trust charity, which is involved in helping young adults in life. He is also the brother of actress and writer Yonah Odoom.[15]
Odoom is not a big follower of football but is a fan of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and the Ghana national football team.[19]
Filmography
- Television
- Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | My Last Five Girlfriends | Agent 2 | |
| 2013 | Battle of the Year | Himself |
References
- ^ "Melvin Odoom facts: I'm A Celebrity star's age, girlfriend, famous sister and more revealed". Heart. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ "Happy Birthday to Me". Instagram. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ "University of Bedfordshire". The Complete University Guide. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ "Upclose with Melvin". msbwrites.co.uk. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Melvin Odoom". encantatalentmanagement.com. 2022.
- ^ "Sony Radio Academy Awards 2010". radiotoday.co.uk. 15 February 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
- ^ "Great British Speakers - Melvin Odoom". greatbritishspeakers.co.uk. 2022.
- ^ "Jordan and Perri: Kiss breakfast hosts on 'stepping into huge shoes'". bbc.co.uk. July 30, 2020.
- ^ "Clara Amfo to become new host of BBC Radio 1's Future Sounds". bbc.co.uk. April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Melvin Odoom sits in for DJ Spoony"
- ^ "The Xtra". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 2015-06-18.
- ^ "Rochelle Humes and Melvin Odoom to host The Xtra Factor". ITV Press Centre. 18 June 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-06-18.
- ^ "ITV commission high octane weekend entertainment game show, Bang on the Money". Flavourmag. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ "Strictly's Melvin Odoom warns new contestants to 'eat, sleep and drink' dance". irishnews.com. August 14, 2017.
- ^ "Richard Osman's House of Games: Melvin Odoom's famous sister and forgotten Strictly Come Dancing win". greatbritishspeakers.co.uk. February 7, 2022.
- ^ "First look at Mel and Sue as hosts of brand new Let's Sing And Dance For Comic Relief on BBC One". BBC Media Centre. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ "Channel 4 launches contest to find most talented LEGO builders". Channel 4. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ "I'm a Celebrity 2024: Coleen Rooney, GK Barry and Danny Jones in line-up". BBC News. 2 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Lawro's Premier League predictions v Radio 1 DJ Melvin Odoom". BBC Sport. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
External links
- Rickie, Melvin and Charlie (BBC Radio 1)
- Agent - Somethin' Else Talent
- Melvin Odoom at IMDb