Ore Oduba broke out into a sweat on ‘This Morning’ on Thursday (24.11.16) after a parrot perched on his arm.
The ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ star – who was presenting the brunchtime show with Holly Willoughby – was on a mission to cure his "severe" phobia of birds with the help of the show’s therapists Eva and Nik Speakman but, despite his cool appearance, he struggled to control his breathing after the beautiful feathered animal named Indie stepped on to his shoulder and gazed into his eyes.
Speaking before the bird walked on to him, he said: "This is a fear of birds I’ve had for as long as I can remember. We (him and the Speakmans) chatted last night before we met this morning just about the early memories and I have no original source. Friends are always asking me, ‘When was the first time?’ I have no idea, I have dreams, I have moments, but I can’t rationalise it. It’s surprising severe."
Eva and Nik – known collectively as The Speakmans – started the live therapy session by having the bird stand on her trainer Steve’s arm next to Ore while they discussed his fear of birds.
Ore said: "This is the closest me and Indie have ever been. I’m feeling OK because I know Steve is there and I will probably just stroke her. I’m doing it for me. I’m fine. I do want to be cured."
The Speakmans then said the next step in the path to curing his fear is by having the bed sit on him.
Ore said as he stood up: "This is crippling. I really want to get over this."
After a few minutes of some problematic parrot perching, the 30-year-old presenter begged Steve to take Indie back because he was really struggling to keep his anxiety under control.
He said through gritted teeth: "Steve, do you mind if you take Indie back for just a minute."
Once Indie was taken away, Ore was given a moment to reflect on his journey.
As he clutched Holly’s chair, he said: "Can we put the heart monitor on right now. My heart is racing. She is lovely, a beautiful bird and I can appreciate that but when she put her claws on my arm, I’ve never done that before. She clutched on to me and she was really close. It didn’t hurt."
Ore Oduba has phobia of birds
