Frank Edoho, the charismatic host of the popular game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (WWTBAM), has revealed that allegations of domestic violence came perilously close to costing him his role on the iconic show. In a candid conversation on the WithChude podcast, Edoho shared his deeply personal experience, which nearly tarnished his career in the spotlight.
The controversy erupted after Edoho’s marriage to Katherine Obiang—a union that lasted seven years—ended in 2010. Together, they have three children, but Edoho described their relationship as a mismatch from the start. Acknowledging his youthful recklessness and poor decisions during their marriage, he confessed that both of them were at fault in varying degrees.
“I think it was a mismatch. I was young and not entirely ready. When she got pregnant, I had cold feet, but I still got married,” Edoho candidly admitted. The marriage faced constant challenges, eventually leading to their separation in 2010, a few years after the first signs of turmoil emerged. “We didn’t look at each other very well before we delved into it,” he confessed, acknowledging the difficult lessons learned from his experience.
However, as their relationship deteriorated, rumors began to swirl about domestic violence, putting Edoho in a precarious position professionally. These accusations—despite not being substantiated—put his prestigious role on the widely-watched Who Wants to Be a Millionaire at serious risk. Edoho, always the picture of composure on screen, admitted that he was deeply affected by the allegations but was unable to speak out publicly due to his ongoing responsibilities as a public figure.
“I was depressed during that time, but there was nothing I could do about it. It was such a delicate issue,” Edoho revealed. The backlash began slowly but then escalated to a point where even the sponsors of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire took notice. Their concerns reached Edoho’s boss, who, according to the TV host, threatened his continued tenure.
“After our separation, the rumors of abuse started spreading, and it didn’t take long for the sponsors to hear about it. I was overseas at the time when my boss called me, asking me to return to Lagos urgently,” Edoho recalled. His phone call was not a friendly check-in—it was a wake-up call about the gravity of the situation. Edoho was told that his position as the show’s host was on the line.
Upon his return, Edoho was summoned for a meeting with the show’s sponsors, during which the gravity of the situation finally sunk in. Edoho confessed that his career was hanging in the balance. “They said I wouldn’t be presenting the show anymore due to the rumors about me being a wife-beater,” he said.
But Edoho was determined to set the record straight. “I was aware of everything that was being said about me. My boss knew about the issues I had been going through. I was able to openly recount everything—from when I was dating to when we married, right through to the birth of my children,” he explained. “I even showed them my receipts to back up my story.”
His confrontation with the sponsors not only cleared his name but also painted a detailed picture of his troubled marriage and the difficult circumstances that led to its demise. He recounted how, after some of the women involved listened to the truth about his side of the story, two of them were moved to tears.
“I told them I was not the villain they made me out to be. Nobody divorced me. I made the decision to leave. I packed my things and left,” Edoho stated, challenging the one-sided narrative that had overshadowed his personal life.
Fortunately, Edoho’s transparency paid off. The sponsors ultimately backed down, allowing him to retain his job as the beloved host of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. Edoho expressed gratitude for his boss’s understanding and support during a tumultuous period of his life.
Looking back at the incident, Edoho doesn’t shy away from acknowledging how deeply the entire ordeal affected him. But his resilience was key to his recovery—not only professionally but personally as well. “That period was one of my lowest points. But after I spoke to the sponsors and set the record straight, I was able to continue with my career,” he said, a hint of relief in his voice.
Today, Frank Edoho has moved on from his troubled first marriage. In 2014, he remarried to Sandra Onyenuchenuya, a union that has so far brought him peace and joy. “I found happiness again. My second marriage is my new beginning,” Edoho said, with a sense of closure and renewal.
His journey through a public crisis underscores the struggle many high-profile personalities face when personal issues threaten to spill into the professional realm. Edoho’s openness and fortitude in handling the allegations show how a determined approach can help overcome even the most damaging rumors.
Edoho, who continues to enjoy significant popularity, particularly in his role as a game show host, expressed that he has long left the painful memories of the past behind. Today, he stands resilient, having faced down a potential career-killing situation and come out the other side stronger.
In reflecting on his journey, Edoho’s advice for others facing similar battles is clear: transparency, honesty, and personal strength are paramount. “Sometimes, people try to break you with lies, but the truth will always win in the end,” he said, summarizing his experience.
