Yinka Bokinni
Born
Olayinka Leigh C Bokinni

(1989-02-16) 16 February 1989
Peckham, London, England
Occupation(s)Radio and television presenter
Years active2015–present
Employers
RelativesKola Bokinni (brother)

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.

Early life

Olayinka 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 later realised she had no desire to become a lawyer.[6]

Career

Radio

In 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

In 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

Bokinni 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

As herself
Year 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

  1. "Olayinka Leigh C Bokinni". freeBMD. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Yinka Bokinni at Insanity". Insanity. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  3. "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.
  4. "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.
  5. 1 2 3 "'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.
  6. "Yinka Bokinni: Being myself". Happiful. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "Yinka Bokinni at HuffPost". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  8. "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.
  9. "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.
  10. "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.
  11. "Radio 1 Early Breakfast with Yinka Bokinni". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  12. "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.
  13. 1 2 "Yinka Bokinni: How I Made It". Notion. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  14. "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.
  15. "Channel 4 commissions Damilola: The Boy Next Door". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  16. "Channel 4 Renews 'Unapologetic,' First Commission From Groundbreaking Black to Front Showcase". Variety. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  17. 1 2 "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.
  18. "True Crime: Unravelled – Channel 4". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  19. 1 2 "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.
  20. "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.
  21. 1 2 "The Greatest Snowman 2022 date and line up as Channel 4 show returns". TellyMix. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  22. 1 2 "The Weakest Link, Series 2, Episode 9". BBC. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  23. 1 2 "The Chase: Celebrity Special". TV24. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  24. 1 2 "Channel 4 Commissions new body positivity format from Betty TV". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  25. "Meet our Ambassadors – British Heart Foundation". British Heart Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  26. "When Talent Shows Go Horribly Wrong". Plex.tv. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  27. "Rhod Gilbert's Growing Pains, Series 2, Episode 2". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  28. "The Big Narstie Show, Series 4, Episode 6". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  29. "Vick Hope's Breakfast Show, Series 1, Episode 6". TV 24. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  30. "Don't Hate the Playaz, Series 4, Episode 5". ITV. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
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