AJ Odudu reveals she is still haunted over being axed from Big Brother hosting gig

AJ Odudu recently opened up about the emotional impact of being dropped from her hosting role on *Big Brother’s Bit on the Side*, a decision that significantly affected her career. She shared that she wasn’t entirely sure why her contract wasn’t renewed, but she speculated it could have been related to her accent and appearance. Her Lancashire accent, in particular, became a point of contention, with some viewers criticizing it, while an internal comment from the production team suggested she should “soften” it to be more palatable for television audiences [oai_citation:6,Celebrity Big Brother’s AJ Odudu on painful split with boyfriend](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/tv/celebrity-big-brother-host-aj-odudu-famous-real-name-painful-relationship-split-boyfriend/) [oai_citation:5,The Big Breakfast: AJ Odudu on Big Brother’s Bit on the Side axe](http://www.entertainmentdaily.com/tv/strictly-come-dancing-line-up-why-was-aj-odudu-axed-from-big-brothers-bit-on-the-side/).

This criticism led to deep insecurities, with AJ revealing that it felt as though she was being told to change aspects of herself she had no control over. The pressure to conform to a certain image and sound left her questioning her place in the industry, especially when her contract renewal didn’t happen [oai_citation:4,The Big Breakfast: AJ Odudu on Big Brother’s Bit on the Side axe](http://www.entertainmentdaily.com/tv/strictly-come-dancing-line-up-why-was-aj-odudu-axed-from-big-brothers-bit-on-the-side/) [oai_citation:3,Celebrity Big Brother host AJ Odudu says she’s ‘not allowed to make mistakes in the way others are’ | The Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-big-brother-cbb-host-aj-odudu-interview-racism-elizabeth-day-b1143374.html).

In reflecting on the experience, AJ expressed how difficult it was to stay true to herself amid the pressure to fit in. She believes that in the television industry, there’s often little room for error, and those in marginalized groups are under even greater scrutiny. Despite the pain of the experience, she’s proud of how far she’s come without changing who she is [oai_citation:2,Celebrity Big Brother’s AJ Odudu on painful split with boyfriend](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/tv/celebrity-big-brother-host-aj-odudu-famous-real-name-painful-relationship-split-boyfriend/). This struggle with identity, accent, and appearance is something AJ has spoken about publicly before, emphasizing how growing up as one of the only Black children in a predominantly white area led to many challenges with self-acceptance [oai_citation:1,Celebrity Big Brother host AJ Odudu says she’s ‘not allowed to make mistakes in the way others are’ | The Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-big-brother-cbb-host-aj-odudu-interview-racism-elizabeth-day-b1143374.html).

Her journey is a powerful reminder of how difficult it can be to navigate professional environments that demand conformity, and how important it is to remain authentic despite the challenges. AJ’s perseverance and determination to stay true to herself have become key aspects of her public persona today.