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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