Olayinka Leigh C Bokinni (born 16 February 1989) is a British radio and television presenter. She is known for presenting various shows on Capital Xtra (2016–2022) and BBC Radio 1 (2023–present). She has also fronted the documentaries Damilola: The Boy Next Door and How To Hire a Hitman, as well as co-presenting True Crime: Unravelled and Naked Education for Channel 4.
Yinka Bokinni | |
---|---|
Born | Olayinka Leigh C Bokinni 16 February 1989 Peckham, London, England |
Occupation(s) | Radio and television presenter |
Years active | 2015–present |
Employers | |
Relatives | Kola Bokinni (brother) |
Early life
editOlayinka Leigh C Bokinni was born on 16 February 1989 in Peckham, London to an Irish mother and a Nigerian father.[1][2] Her younger brother Kola is an actor, known for his role in the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso.[3] As a child, Bokinni was friends with her neighbour Damilola Taylor, who was stabbed to death near their estate in November 2000.[4][5] Prior to her broadcasting career, Bokinni obtained a law degree at the University College London; however, she later realised that she had no desire to become a lawyer.[6]
Career
editRadio
editIn 2015, Bokinni auditioned for Rinse FM, regularly presenting Saturday shows before becoming the host of her own show Breakfast with Yinka.[7] In 2016, Bokinni joined the radio station Capital Xtra, and presented the Capital Xtra Evening Show for three years. In 2019, it was announced that Bokinni would co-host the Capital Xtra Breakfast Show alongside Shayna Marie.[8][9] She presented the show until 2022, when she left to focus on other projects. Bokinni also served as a DJ on the main stage of Wireless Festival for several years.[2][10] In June 2023, Bokinni was announced to be joining BBC Radio 1 to co-present Radio 1 Early Breakfast alongside Conor Knight.[11] Upon joining the network, Bokinni said she was "beyond excited to start this new chapter at BBC Radio 1, adding that "music is the heartbeat of [her] life".[12]
Television
editIn November 2017, Bokinni presented the MOBO Awards in Leeds.[13] In 2019, she began presenting Fresh Forward on 4Music, which featured new artists and music.[7] In October 2020, Bokinni fronted a Channel 4 documentary Damilola: The Boy Next Door, about the killing of her friend and neighbour Damilola Taylor, twenty years on from his death.[14][5][15] In September 2021, she co-presented a one-off late night chat show Unapolagetic with Zeze Millz as part of Channel 4's "Black to Front" special.[16] The show was commissioned for a full series and began airing in November 2021.[17]
In February 2022, Bokinni presented True Crime: Unravelled alongside criminologist Honor Doro Townshend, which featured the analysis of true crime stories.[18] In June 2022, Bokinni fronted a second documentary for Channel 4, How to Hire a Hitman, in which she investigated into how easy it would be to hire a contract killer on the internet.[19][20] She also appeared as a contestant on various television shows including The Weakest Link, The Greatest Snowman and The Chase: Celebrity Special.[21][22][23] In April 2023, she began co-presenting the body positivity series Naked Education with Anna Richardson and Alex George.[24]
Other projects
editBokinni has worked with brands including Very, eBay and Revlon, and has promoted products for New Balance, Aussie Hair, as well as appearing at a live event for Boots with Davina McCall to unveil a Christmas gift range.[2] She also worked with Coca-Cola for a festival campaign, in which she presented a digital show interviewing music artists.[2] Bokinni is also an ambassador for the British Heart Foundation.[25]
Filmography
editYear | Title | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | MOBO Awards | Presenter | [13] |
2017 | When Talent Shows Go Horribly Wrong | Guest | [26] |
2019–2021 | Fresh Forward | Presenter | [7] |
2020 | Damilola: The Boy Next Door | Documentary | [5] |
2021 | Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains | Guest | [27] |
2021–present | Unapolagetic | Presenter | [17] |
2021 | The Big Narstie Show | Guest | [28] |
2022, 2023 | The Apprentice: You're Fired | Guest; 2 episodes | [2] |
2022 | How to Hire a Hitman | Documentary | [19] |
2022 | Vick Hope's Breakfast Show | Guest | [29] |
2022, 2023 | The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice | Guest | [2] |
2022 | Don't Hate the Playaz | Guest | [30] |
2022 | Tonight with Target | Guest | [2] |
2022 | The Greatest Snowman | Contestant | [21] |
2023 | Naked Education | Presenter | [24] |
2023 | The Weakest Link | Contestant | [22] |
2023 | The Chase: Celebrity Special | Contestant | [23] |
2023 | Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star | Guest | [2] |
References
edit- ^ "Olayinka Leigh C Bokinni". freeBMD. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Yinka Bokinni at Insanity". Insanity. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Yinka Bokinni Is Spreading Hope Through Her Incredible Damilola Taylor Documentary". British Vogue. 23 October 2020. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Damilola: The Boy Next Door review – the powerful truth behind the headlines". The Guardian. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b c "'I wanted to show that he was loved': Yinka Bokinni on her neighbour, Damilola Taylor". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Yinka Bokinni: Being myself". Happiful. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b c "Yinka Bokinni at HuffPost". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Yinka and Shayna Marie to take over Capital XTRA Breakfast". Radio Today. 19 August 2019. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ Waterson, Jim (8 June 2020). "Capital Xtra presenters criticise firm's response to Black Lives Matter". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Catching up with the main star of Wireless… Yinka Bokinni". Verge. 15 July 2019. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Radio 1 Early Breakfast with Yinka Bokinni". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Yinka Bokinni and Conor Knight announced as part of Radio 1's new summer schedule". BBC Media Centre. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Yinka Bokinni: How I Made It". Notion. 7 September 2020. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "What's on TV and radio tonight: Wednesday, October 28". The Times. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Channel 4 commissions Damilola: The Boy Next Door". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "Channel 4 Renews 'Unapologetic,' First Commission From Groundbreaking Black to Front Showcase". Variety. 28 October 2021. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b Richardson, Hollie; Seale, Jack; Harrison, Phil; Wardell, Simon (19 October 2022). "TV tonight: should race have a place in dating preferences? That's the Unapologetic question". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "True Crime: Unravelled – Channel 4". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ a b "TV tonight: murder goes online – can you really order a hit on the web?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "How to Hire a Hitman review – proof that the human race is utter garbage". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b "The Greatest Snowman 2022 date and line up as Channel 4 show returns". TellyMix. 26 December 2022. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ a b "The Weakest Link, Series 2, Episode 9". BBC. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ a b "The Chase: Celebrity Special". TV24. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Channel 4 Commissions new body positivity format from Betty TV". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Meet our Ambassadors – British Heart Foundation". British Heart Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "When Talent Shows Go Horribly Wrong". Plex.tv. 29 October 2017. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains, Series 2, Episode 2". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "The Big Narstie Show, Series 4, Episode 6". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Vick Hope's Breakfast Show, Series 1, Episode 6". TV 24. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Don't Hate the Playaz, Series 4, Episode 5". ITV. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.