Meet the Adebanjos is a single-camera sitcom created by Debra Odutuyo and Andrew Osayemi and produced by MTA Productions. Centred on a Nigerian-British family living in Peckham, South London[1] the show focuses on the larger-than-life patriarch Bayo Adebanjo as he struggles to instill his old-fashioned African values within his reluctant British family.

Meet the Adebanjos
GenreSitcom
Created byDebra Odutuyo
Andrew Osayemi
Written byDebra Odutuyo
Andrew Osayemi
Nick Withers
Jessica Golding
Seun Boy
Directed byDebra Odutuyo
StarringWale Ojo
Yetunde Oduwole
Andrea Ama Aboagye
Daniel Davids
Moji Bamtefa
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes50
Production
Executive producerAndrew Osayemi Debra Odutuyo
ProducerAndrew Osayemi Debra Odutuyo Jenny Stimpson
Production locationsLondon, UK
Running time24 minutes
Production companyMTA Productions
Original release
NetworkNetflix
The Africa Channel International
M-Net
SABC 2
Release6 April 2012 (2012-04-06) –
present
Related
Desmond's
The T-Boy Show

The sitcom began as a revolutionary self-funded web series in 2011 and quickly became an international hit on televisions across the globe [2] as it was shown in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Uganda. Since its launch, the programme has gained a devoted following in the African-British community.

Production edit

Meet the Adebanjos began life in 2011 as a web series that was self-funded by the show’s creators, Andrew Osayemi and Deborah Odutayo. The comedy stems from the typical ups and downs of family life, and the patriarch Bayo's rivalry with the equally larger-than-life and rather eccentric Auntie Funke.[3]

Cast and characters edit

Main cast and characters edit

Minor cast and characters edit

  • Tolulope Ogunmefun as Cousin Femi (Series 1-3)
  • Andrew Apraku as Pastor Michael (Series 1-3)
  • Lateef Lovejoy as Greg (Series 1-3)
  • David Erdos as Tony (Series 2-3)

Episodes edit

Three seasons have been produced so far, with a total of 50 episodes.

Season 2 premiered in the UK on channel OHTV in 2014 and on Africa Magic/M-Net in Africa.

In December 2015, it was announced that the third season of Meet the Adebanjos will launch on the multi-ethnic content service Lebara Play. The third season was made available to watch from the beginning of 2016 and included 19 new episodes, adding up to a total of 50 episodes produced.

Following the pick-up of the series by Netflix, a fourth season is currently in development.[4]

Reception edit

Meet the Adebanjos has been critically-acclaimed and recognised by a number of awarding bodies, including ZAFAA, NEL, Screen Nation Film and Television Awards, BEFFTA, and The Black Comedy Awards UK.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Pioneering British Nigerian Comedy Meet The Adebanjos". Voice-online. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  2. ^ Sarah, Slack. "Self-funded sitcom is an international hit". Chortle. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Rejected by BBC and ITV, Netflix finally acquires popular Nigerian sitcom, "Meet the Adebanjos"". Face2Face Africa. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Africa: Meet the Adebanjos Talking to Netflix About a New Season, Signed Licensing Deal On Platform - Andrew Osayemi, MTA Productions On How to Get the Best From VoD Deals". allAfrica.com. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Rejected by BBC and ITV, Netflix finally acquires popular Nigerian sitcom, "Meet the Adebanjos"". Face2Face Africa. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2022.