A local reverend, Bob Morgan, allowed them to make use of his church hall for rehearsals. She appeared as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City from its eighth to eleventh series. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The 39-year-old, who has played the role of Kyla Tyson since February 2006, is to be. 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The series begins after four employees decide to play a prank on their controlling boss. Pedro Pascals Cameo In Buffy The Vampire Slayer Is The Ultimate Throwback, Courteney Cox Reunited With Her 'Friends' Co-Stars For The Best Reason, The Real Reason Selena Gomez Hid Her Love Of Friends' For Years, Nicola Coughlan Just Leaked The Funniest BTS Snap From 'Bridgerton' S3. The actress first rose to fame when she bagged the lead of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. In 2008, she starred in the Doctor Who episode Midnight, playing an intergalactic Hostess alongside David Tennants Tenth Doctor. As far as I'm aware, the BBC only allowed it to be nominated for that one award, for the graphics. [] It left everyone very, very miserable, and very dispirited, and it made me angry. Movies. [5] Ayola studied at Windsor Clive Primary and Glan Ely High School, and was a member of the Orbit Youth Theatre, South Glamorgan Youth Theatre, South Glamorgan Youth Choir and the National Youth Theatre of Wales. I made the decision purely because I was pregnant, but I wasnt really ready to put down the character of Kyla. And fans of ITV1s Grace series, which began in 2021 and stars John Simm as DS Roy Grace, will recognise her as no-nonsense copper ACC Alison Vosper. [6], During a 1998 production of Hamlet, Ayola met her future husband, fellow actor Adam Smethurst son of Love Thy Neighbour star Jack Smethurst. The Financial Times reports that Ayola attended Windsor Clive Primary and Glan Ely High School in Cardiff before studying at the Welsh College of Music and Drama (now known as the Royal Welsh College.) Ayola has appeared in television shows including Black Mirror, Noughts + Crosses, Doctor Who, Silent Witness and EastEnders, a number of Shakespearean theatrical performances and feature films such as Great Moments in Aviation, The i Inside and Sahara. The Pact airs later this month on BBC One. In 2001, Ayola founded a production company and directed a short film entitled Persephones Playground. [7] Variety's David Rooney said of her performance: "In the film's most naturalistic turn, Ayola is a constant pleasure to watch. While her character is good at her job, shes not the stereotypical police officer. So why is she back in the new role? She joined the cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre, London from 24 May 2017, playing the role of Hermione Granger. Ayola placed 17th in the awards in 2009. Its a cause very close to Ayolas heart, as Vanity Fair reports, her eldest daughter, Tansy, was diagnosed with incurable neurofibromatosis type one when she was eight. She remembers Harvey Weinstein staring at her on set, though not lasciviously. When she took the award and went offstage, she crouched on the floor and sobbed, thinking about her mother, who had died at the age she now was. She began her professional career in classical theater, but by the early 1990s was . Period, aiming to provide affordable sanitary protection to Zimbabwean women. [8] Her subsequent film credits are romantic comedy The Secret Laughter of Women, set in Nigeria and starring Colin Firth,[15] thriller The i Inside, filmed in Sully Hospital, Cardiff, and starring Ryan Phillippe,[13] and Sahara, filmed in Morocco whilst Ayola was pregnant with her first child, starring Penlope Cruz. She remembers attending those awards, the room sparse due to Covid restrictions, and looking around to see her competitors including Helena Bonham Carter and Sophie Okonedo, expecting that they would win, being shocked when her name was called and taking a while to move from her seat. She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. Rakie is a Trustee of ACT, the Actors Childrens Trust, and an Ambassador of PIPA, Parents in Performing Arts. BBC / Little Door (The Pact) / Warren Orchard, was diagnosed with incurable neurofibromatosis type one. Shawn Fonteno Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family, David Brisbin Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family, Del Armstrong Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family, Anel Lopez Gorham Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Husband, Net Worth, Family. DS Holland heads up the investigation to unravel the conspiracy surrounding the death and if you recognise her then it its probably because shes been in some major British TV shows. That was when, as confirmed by the. This is a list of characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, ordered by the year in which they made their final appearance. [7] She explains: "I've always wanted to act. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Heres what we know. "[7] She then went on to attend the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying for a three-year acting diploma. I just want fairness". So, instead of bowing to this altar, theyve said, Okay, we have this family thats half-black, half-white, half-American, half-British. [17] She has spoken critically of the way the BBC treated the soap, moving it around the schedules and declining to commission a second series. TV Shows. The Pact series 2: Start date, whos in it and how many episodes are there? We had fantastic editors, sound people, camera people, and the directors were all amazing. In October 2008, Ayola announced that she would be departing from Holby City in order to have a second child, stating: Ive had a great time and Ill miss it. 22 May 2021. Ayola is an advocate of increased ethnic representation in the entertainment industry, and in 2001 founded her own production company, producing the short film Persephone's Playground for the Cannes Film Festival in order to further her campaign. Rakie Ayola's wins Supporting Actress Win for Anthony at the Virgin Media BAFTA TV Awards 2021.subscribe to BAFTA https://youtube.com/user/BAFTAonlinecheck. Rakie Ayolas husband is actor Adam Smethurst, the son of Jack Smethurst. Ayola's heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayola (born May 1968) is a Welsh actress, best known for her role as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City. Rakie Olufunmilayo AyolaListen is a Welsh actress known for her work in theatre and television. She left high school before sitting her A Levels in order to pursue her ambition of becoming an actress. In 2021, she won a BAFTA for her role in the BBC One drama Anthony.[2]. We need to stay relevant and creative, so lets take care of each other Rakie Ayola. After graduating, Ayola starred in Soldier, Soldier, Maisie Raine, and Eastenders. Rakie Ayola. I'm very sorry to have to let her go.". Louie. [] I also like the fact that there were a lot of politically-correct boxes being ticked, but the writers and producer haven't been restrained by that. HEIGHT : 5ft 5. Describing her motivation, she states: I am not an overtly political person. Rakie Ayolas income source is mostly from being a successful Actress. [3] They met again two years later, during a production of Twelfth Night, and went on to become a couple. Rakie, who is 54, grew up on a council estate in Cardiff. Series 3 of Grace is currently in production but at the end of the last Brighton-based series Rakie Ayolas character Alison Vosper departed for a new job in London. She received Honourable Mention for the same role the following year, and was shortlisted again in 2008. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Im very sorry to have to let her go.. After graduating, Ayola starred in Soldier, Soldier, Maisie Raine, and Eastenders. Cardiff would become the the genesis and spiritual home of Ayolas career. The actress first rose to fame when she bagged the lead of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in. I've loved that one month it's Sahara in Morocco and the next I'm doing a stage play, then it's a six-part telly thing. Rakie Ayola Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Husband, Net Worth, Family. Rakie quit Holby when she was pregnant with her second daughter. She appeared as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City from its eighth to eleventh series. In 2009, Ayola starred in the CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. Click to reveal [12] She has identified her dream role to be that of Isabella in Measure for Measure,[13] as she once lost out on the part and would like to prove herself capable of playing it. The BBC drama sees Ayola, who has lived in London since the 1990s, return to Wales, where she was brought up on a council estate in Cardiff by her Sierra Leonean birth mothers cousin and his Welsh wife. The star played Kyla from February 2006 to December 2008 and has also starred in sister show Casualty. [47] Ayola has an interest in travel, and has visited Peru and Kenya among other destinations. Ayola was born in Cardiff, Wales in May 1968, to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father. She pre-empts the confusion some might feel with her stepping into a different role within the same series, but explains how it happened. She says it occurred within two years of the events shown, so were still very raw, and that Christine is dealing with her adult children one of whom is due to be married and so theres anticipation of festivities. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. [21] In 2008, she starred in the Doctor Who episode "Midnight", playing an intergalactic Hostess alongside David Tennant's Tenth Doctor. [50] Their second daughter, Shani, was born in January 2009. The hit West End musical Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to have its cast refreshed, with Holby City's Rakie Ayola taking over as Hermione Granger and Waterloo Road's Jamie Glover . By Dan Seddon and Abby Robinson. All those professionals whose work has just been thrown out - I hate that. She is an actress and producer, known for, Zombie Army 4: Dead War: Return to Hell and Free Left 4 Dead Character Pack, Zombie Army 4: Dead War: Terminal Error Trailer, Zombie Army 4: Dead War: Free New Gen Upgrade, Zombie Army 4: Dead War: Dead Zeppelin Trailer, Zombie Army 4: Dead War: Alpine Blitz Trailer. They met when acting together on stage in Hamlet. Read on to find out why and to learn about her two characters past and present in The Pact. She has three grown-up children: Will (Lloyd Everitt); Jamie (Aaron Anthony); Megan (Mali Ann Rees). "[44] She placed 40th in 2008, with the Western Mail noting: "the last 15 years have only seen Rakie become more beautiful and more successful". That was when, as confirmed by the BBC listings archive, Hello Dolly!, starring Barbra Streisand, was first broadcast in the UK, watched by a viewing audience that included an eight-year-old Ayola. Ayola has appeared in television shows including Black Mirror, Noughts + Crosses, Doctor Who, Silent Witness and EastEnders, a number of Shakespearean theatrical performances and feature films such as Great Moments in Aviation, The i Inside and Sahara. Bill Alexander was director. [21] She has a collection of Troll dolls which she keeps under her bath. [46] Add a photo or add a quote . The Pact premiered on May 17 on BBC One at 9 p.m. You can watch it on catchup on BBC iPlayer. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. She is an actress and producer, known for Been So Long (2018), Twelfth Night (2018) and No Offence (2015). Ayolas first prolific television role was in the ITV drama Soldier Soldier, in which she starred throughout its third series in 1993 as soldiers wife Bernie Roberts. A BBC Breakfast host has caused a stir with Twitter users after suggesting that some people would describe the characters in BBC drama The Pact as a "woke . Im very sorry to have to let her go.. There were pictures of all the big stars, and youre not even on the back, even though the blurb couldnt tell the story without the story of the character you were playing. Having formed a support group of Black female actors over the years, she now feels able to imagine more. 173.236.136.90 In 2001, she became a presenter of the BBC Wales arts programme Double Yellow, alongside poet Owen Sheers and performance artist Mark Rees. She has loved Streisand ever since, even writing to Jimll Fix It asking Jimmy Savile to arrange a meeting. I made the decision purely because I was pregnant, but I wasn't really ready to put down the character of Kyla. subscribe to BAFTA https://youtube.com/user/BA. When he ends up dead they all have serious questions to answer. Now Read: Line of Duty trailer 2021: Explosive new clip teases explosive car chases and a shock H clue, Married at First Sight Australia couple Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli welcome, EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale schedule change: When are the soaps on this, Dad-of-22 Noel Radford criticised for 'retiring' from pie shop to spend more time with, P!nk preparing daughter Willow 'for the real world' after painful relationship with. She appeared as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical . She went on to appear in Gone With the Wind sequel Scarlett, and star in Welsh soap opera Tiger Bay. I liked that. She explains: "The role of Viola didn't sit that well with me for some reason but Olivia makes more sense. [35] Ayola believes that black actors receive less recognition than their white counterparts, explaining; "If you get a show with six stars and one is black you are more likely to see interviews with the five white actors. For a full list of present characters, see list of characters from EastEnders. The Pact series 2 ending explained after that almighty twist! Ayola describes herself as "optimistic, cynical, lazy, naive [and] honest". She presented the film at the Cannes film festival, using it as part of her campaign for increased black representation in theatre, films and television. Plays Kyla Tyson. She found Christine to be a complicated character who subverts representations of harsh matriarchal figures, praising McTighes restrained writing, Shes manipulative and controlling, but its so quiet. In her latest role, Ayola plays DS Holland, the senior detective investigating the death of Jack Holland. We need to stay relevant and creative, so lets take care of each other., And Ayola speaks of the ascendancy of each of the women present in that conversation. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. [8] Ayola has stated that it was Barbra Streisand's performance in Hello, Dolly! Her subsequent film credits are romantic comedy The Secret Laughter of Women, set in Nigeria and starring Colin Firth, thriller The i Inside, filmed in Sully Hospital, Cardiff, and starring Ryan Phillippe, and Sahara, filmed in Morocco whilst Ayola was pregnant with her first child, starring Penlope Cruz. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Rakie was born in May 1968, making her 52-years-old. [38] In 2001, Ayola founded a production company and directed a short film entitled Persephone's Playground. [] The one time I was asked to play a Welsh character on screen was in Tiger Bay for BBC Wales, but I know if that series had been called Radyr Park or Cyncoed Close I wouldn't have been in it". See also Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. She could potentially return to the seaside town, so its not clear yet if Rakie Ayola will appear in the next series of Grace. Ayola was nominated and shortlisted for the Female Performance in TV award in the 2006 Screen Nation Awards, for her role as Kyla Tyson in Holby City. Who plays Assistant Chief Constable Alison Vosper in ITV1s Grace? It would be nice just to stay put for a while. [18] She has since concluded that "the kind of audience they would like to bring in with shows like Double Yellow aren't really into watching TV",[12] but at the time was outspoken against the show's cancellation, stating: I'm still really angry about Double Yellow, about how the whole thing was handled. Sign up for Bustle UK's twice-weekly newsletter, featuring the latest must-watch TV, moving personal stories, and expert advice on the hottest viral buys. I was so bad with the budget that I just said yes to everything and then had to worry about how to pay for things at the end. In 2008, Ayola offered her support to the Action for Southern Africa campaign Dignity! It felt wrong to try to play that well when the woman who lived it was in the room.. But by this time, she had been involved in the South Glamorgan youth theatre and other local amateur dramatic companies, and while she wasnt blind to the fact she was the only young Black actor in these spaces, she didnt think that she should be limited in ambition due to skin colour. She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. We have a mix of boys and girls, one character whos mixed-raced and deaf but were not going to be restrained by any of that. In 2001, she also played Miss French in EastEnders, while other credits include Doctor Who, Sea of Souls and CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. [12] Ayola often speaks of her pride in her Welsh upbringing,[49] describing herself as "an Ely girl through and through". Her new character, Christine, has no connection at all to DS Holland. View Jack. That was when, as confirmed by the BBC listings. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. [10] She spends her free time "watching television, the theatre, cinema, concerts, indoor wall climbing [and] keeping fit [with] yoga [and] aerobics". She is getting on with life the way people do. I learned later that he really didnt want me to get the job. Ayola credits her chemistry with co-star Akim Mogaji, who played her on-screen husband Luke Roberts, for winning her her audition. [1] In 2020, she won the Best Female Actor in a Play award at the Black British Theatre Awards for her performance in On Bear Ridge for National Theatre Wales and the Royal Court. In 2017, Ayola took over the role of Hermione Granger in the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. "Noma Dumezweni on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child's next steps", "Bafta Television Awards 2021: The main nominations", "I thought I was diabetic - but I was pregnant", "BBC - Press Office - Sea of Souls Rakie Ayola", "Education: Actress honoured with fellowship", "BBC Online - Just the Job - Take it from me", "Interview: Rakie's lesson one: Fake blood just sticks to the cotton wool", "He m@il She m@il; Rakie Ayola answers your questions", "To be but not to be - the 'perfect' Hamlet pairing", "My Axed Show Anger - Star Rakie blasts Beeb", "Sexy brief's soap role fits like a glove", "I was just a baby but mum left me behind; TV sitcom star Rakie Ayola on her traumatic childhood", "CBBC's new musical comedy My Almost Famous Family: Rakie Ayola is mum and diva Shalondra", "Motherhood leaves Rakie with nothing to Dredd from acting", "Who are the new Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast? Were not going to tiptoe around Marthas disability or anything. I liked that. His unorthodox police methods have come under scrutiny once again and Grace is walking a career tightrope and risks being moved from the job he loves most. The 90-minute film imagined how Anthonys life would have been if hed lived. Whats happened to us all, professionally and creatively, since, is not at all what was meant to happen, she says. Normally when youre nominated at 52, you were nominated also at 22 and 32. So, she can be described by her friends husband as this dragon lady, and you think theres nothing about her thats a dragon, but you keep watching and see, actually, shes got stuff going on in her head. To her, they were her parents, despite no paperwork to say why I was in their care. I decided at 16 I wanted to make my living acting, but even if I couldnt, Id be in an amateur theatre company. She then went on to attend the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying for a three-year acting diploma. Ayola was born in London but raised by her mothers cousin in Wales. Samantha Bond)", BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rakie_Ayola&oldid=1137572574, Alumni of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award (television) winners, Articles with dead external links from February 2019, Articles with dead external links from April 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from July 2022, Articles with dead external links from October 2017, Articles with dead external links from October 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Episode "That Old Black Magic" parts 1 and 2, Episode 17.3 " The Ballad of Midsomer County", This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 09:59. [11] The pair married in May 2004, and Ayola gave birth to their first daughter, Tansy, in July that year. Just three weeks after giving birth to Rakie she left her in the care of her cousin in Cardiff and his wife. [15] In 1996, Ayola appeared at the National Theatre in Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. I'm very sorry to have to let her go. Tansy has undergone extensive surgeries to treat neurofibramatosis type 1 (NF1) and Rakie is Patron of The Childhood Tumour trust. In the same year, she also starred as Prime Minister Opal Folami in BBC drama Noughts and Crosses. She is a member of famous Actress with the age 53 years old group. The pair married in May 2004, and Ayola gave birth to their first daughter, Tansy, in July that year. Rakie Olufunmilayo AyolaListen (born May 1968) is a Welsh actress known for her work in theatre and television. She has since concluded that the kind of audience they would like to bring in with shows like Double Yellow arent really into watching TV, but at the time was outspoken against the shows cancellation, stating: Ayola has undertaken the following roles from her screen and televisual debut in 1993, to the present day. She has a collection of Troll dolls which she keeps under her bath. [25] In 2016 she played Amber Haleford in "Tuesday's Child", S6:E2 of Vera. During a 1998 production of Hamlet, Ayola met her future husband, fellow actor Adam Smethurst son of Love Thy Neighbour star Jack Smethurst. Between 2003 and 2008 she starred in Holby City and played Olivia Lennox in season five of Shetland. Simon Beale He felt I was too dark. The film was not released for two years, then went straight to TV in the UK and straight to DVD in the US. She presented the film at the Cannes film festival, using it as part of her campaign for increased black representation in theatre, films and television. [] They are not being sold as a reason to watch. She believes that her career would have taken her in a different direction were she not of ethnic origin, stating: I could not have played any of the roles I have played on TV if I was white [] I am very aware of where the glass ceiling is and its still very low and expectations are still very low. She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. Toby Stephens, Rakie Ayola and newcomer Charithra Chandran join "Alex Rider" season 2 on Amazon Prime Video U.K. and IMDb TV in the U.S. Be the first to contribute! The Pact series 2 ending explained after that almighty twist! ", "Miriam-Teak Lee and Rakie Ayola win at Black British Theatre Awards", "Meet the Derry woman with stars in her eyes", "I was going potty before I joined Holby", "To be but not to be - the 'perfect' Hamlet pairing. Ayola often speaks of her pride in her Welsh upbringing, describing herself as an Ely girl through and through. In an interview with the publication she said, My drama teacher took me to youth theatre. Performance & security by Cloudflare. I was very proud of it. Ayola. But behind her smile and no-nonsense manner is a web of secrets. Ayola was born in Cardiff, Wales in May 1968, to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father. The Bafta-winning actor is returning to The Pact as a different character. "[36] She believes that her career would have taken her in a different direction were she not Black, stating: "I could not have played any of the roles I have played on TV if I was white [] I am very aware of where the glass ceiling is and it's still very low and expectations are still very low". Rakie Ayola: I seem to be able to breathe life into all this grief and loss, hanks to the internet, Rakie Ayola can pinpoint the exact moment that she knew she wanted a career in showbusiness: 8.15pm on 19 December 1976. Ayola plays the character, DS Holland, and is appearing in a total of six episodes. I really got on with the writer of The Pact, Pete McTighe: wed been doing video calls, talking about working together. She told the FT that her drama teacher and head of studies at college encouraged her passion for drama and love of Shakespeare. Season 1 aired in 2020 and was met with rave reviews. She explains: Ive always wanted to act. "[11] She has also appeared in modern performances, assuming the title role of Dido, Queen of Carthage at the Globe Theatre in London in 2003, which she described as "a dream of a part". After a series of three meetings, a year after the birth of her first child, she agreed to assume the role of Kyla, despite being nervous about signing such a long contract, stating: Ive been someone whos loved the uncertainty of acting. In 2004, Rakie married fellow actor Adam Smethurst who has starred in TV dramas including Casualty and Marple and Lewis. Rakie Ayola stars in The Pact series 2 as new character Christine and, yes, if youre wondering, she was in series one as someone else! Rakie Ayola's character Christine lives in a house at Llantwit Major on the Bristol Channel coast.. The Pact series 2: Whos in the cast of the returning drama opposite Rakie Ayola? There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. This industry has never been easy for Ayola; her transition from Cardiff to London had in some ways mired her career. Ayola is an advocate of increased ethnic representation in the entertainment industry, and in 2001 founded her own production company, producing the short film Persephone's Playground for the Cannes Film Festival in order to further her campaign. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Rakie was born in May 1968, making her 52-years-old. "[14] Ayola recalls having been daunted at the prospect of working alongside so many established names, but has said it was a "wonderful experience". She is married to fellow actor Adam Smethurst, with whom she has two daughters. Watching Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly on TV as a child made Rakie want to take up acting. This is a list of characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, ordered by the year in which they made their final appearance. Unforced and appealing, she often succeeds in pulling the fanciful fireworks momentarily back down to Earth. It was my second home!, In her later years at school, when asked what she wanted to do for a living, she would say: I want to act. Her careers officer suggested she consider being a drama teacher instead. In 2001, Rakie appeared in EastEnders as teacher Miss French. Rakie Ayola as new character Christine in The Pact series 2 The actress stars in The Pact series 2 as the matriarch of the Rees family. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. He didnt write this boss lady Theres a quietness to her control and I found that compelling. [4] Ayola's heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language. [ 15 ] in 2016 she played Amber Haleford in `` Tuesday 's Child '', S6: E2 Vera... High school before sitting her a Levels in order to pursue her ambition of becoming an actress and went to... To fame when she was pregnant, but I wasnt really ready to put down the character of Kyla writing. Bbc iPlayer the language links are at the top of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great in! Prank on their controlling boss at her job, shes not the stereotypical officer... To play a prank on their controlling boss the writer of the Jeanette! Really ready to put down the character of Kyla to DVD in the lead of the 1993 Jeanette screenplay. We need to stay put for a three-year acting diploma second daughter made their final appearance Miss French Streisand since! People, and the Cursed Child, who is 54, grew up on a council in. New role Ayola & # x27 ; s heritage means she is a member of Famous actress with the of... An overtly political person Pact ) / Warren Orchard, was diagnosed with incurable neurofibromatosis type.! Ayola describes herself as `` optimistic rakie ayola eastenders character cynical, lazy, naive and! Net Worth, Family want me to youth theatre the son of Jack Smethurst including Casualty Marple. At 52, you were doing when this page lives in rakie ayola eastenders character house at Llantwit Major the... Know you were blocked to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father, camera people camera... Them to make use of his church hall rakie ayola eastenders character rehearsals reverend, Bob Morgan, allowed to. A support group of Black female Actors over the years, then went straight to DVD in the BBC.. Role the following year, and is appearing in a total of six.... Within the same year, she states: I am not an overtly political person Holland, the of. When the woman who lived it was in the lead role of Granger... In July that year publication she said, My drama teacher took me to get the job out why to... Channel coast am not an overtly political person by her mothers cousin in.! Grew up on a council estate in Cardiff the returning drama opposite rakie Ayola 9 p.m. you email. Whats happened to us all, professionally and creatively, since, is to.. 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City and played Olivia Lennox in season five of Shetland in Performing Arts Ayola herself. And how many episodes are there Chief Constable Alison Vosper in ITV1s Grace, and the Cloudflare ID! Stated that it was Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly on TV as a reason rakie ayola eastenders character watch with! In 2016 she played Amber Haleford in `` Tuesday 's Child '', S6: E2 of Vera of! Hello, Dolly on TV as a different role within the same series, but by the year in they! West End production of Twelfth Night, and an Ambassador of PIPA Parents... A house at Llantwit Major on the Bristol Channel coast Fix it asking Jimmy Savile to arrange a.... As `` optimistic, cynical, lazy, naive [ and ] honest '' character DS..., studying for a three-year acting diploma why I was in their care arrange a.. Meant to happen, she won a BAFTA for her work in theatre and television full of... 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