Ashley Banjo
{{Short description|British street dancer, choreographer and actor (born 1988)}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox dancer
| name = Ashley Banjo
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=100%|MBE}}
| image = Ashley Banjo at the National Television Awards.jpg
| caption = Banjo interviewed by UK Gossip TV at the National Television Awards in 2020
| birth_name = Ashley Modurotolu Banjo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|10|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = Leytonstone, London, England
| spouse =
| occupation = {{hlist|Dancer|choreographer|television personality}}
| years_active = 2009–present
| current_group = Diversity
| dances = Street dance
| children = 2
| relatives = Jordan Banjo (brother)
| signature = }}
Ashley Modurotolu Banjo {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (born 4 October 1988) is an English dancer, choreographer, and television personality. He is the leader of the street dance troupe Diversity who won the third series of the television talent show Britain's Got Talent in 2009. Banjo has been a judge on television dance competition shows, including Got to Dance (2009–2014), Dance Dance Dance (2017). and Dancing on Ice (2018–2025). In 2016, he was a co-presenter for the Saturday night BBC game show Can't Touch This.
Early life and education
Son of former heavyweight boxer Funso Banjo and Danielle,{{Cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/22/ashley-banjos-dad-feared-speaking-about-george-floyds-death-case-harmed-career-12887483/|title=Ashley Banjo's dad feared him speaking out about George Floyd's death|first=Cydney|last=Yeates|website=Metro.co.uk|date=22 June 2020|access-date=22 October 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/4412460.diversity-stars-mum-is-proud-of-her-boys/|title=Diversity stars' mum is proud of her boys|website=Echo-news.co.uk|date=2 June 2009 |access-date=22 October 2021}} Banjo was educated at the independent St John's School, Billericay, where he was Head Boy and still holds the high jump sports day record.{{cite web|url=http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/britains-got-talent/britains-got-talent-can-diversity-beat-flawless/|title=Britain's Got Talent: Can Diversity Beat Flawless?|last=McGarry|first=Lisa|date=24 May 2009|publisher=Unreality TV|access-date=30 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428153147/http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/britains-got-talent/britains-got-talent-can-diversity-beat-flawless/|archive-date=28 April 2009|url-status=dead}}
Diversity
In 2007, Ashley and his younger brother Jordan formed Swift Moves with nine of their friends, before later changing their name to Diversity. He was given the nickname "Chosen" by his fellow Diversity members. In their first year together, they won the Street Dance Weekend 2007 competition, before deciding to enter Britain's Got Talent.
=''Britain's Got Talent''=
{{Main|Britain's Got Talent (series 3)|l1=Britain's Got Talent}}
After receiving "yes" votes from all three judges in their audition, Diversity went on to compete in the first semi-final on 24 May, losing the public vote-decided first place to Susan Boyle but winning the judges' vote against Natalie Okri. In the final six days later, Diversity were announced as the winners, beating Boyle and Julian Smith (who came second and third respectively). As winners of the competition, Diversity received £100,000 (around £9,090 per member) and went on to perform before Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Variety Show on 7 December 2009.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/britains-got-talent/5414219/Diversity-beat-Susan-Boyle-to-win-Britains-Got-Talent.html|title=Diversity beat Susan Boyle to win Britain's Got Talent|last=Leach|first=Ben|date=30 May 2009|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=30 May 2009 | location=London| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090602103401/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/britains-got-talent/5414219/Diversity-beat-Susan-Boyle-to-win-Britains-Got-Talent.html| archive-date= 2 June 2009 | url-status= live}}
=Post ''Britain's Got Talent''=
Subsequently, Diversity were nominated in the Dance section of the final South Bank Show awards and won an award at the Pride of Britain Awards{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8446090.stm | title=Diversity nominated in Arts award | date=7 January 2010 | access-date=9 January 2010 | work=BBC News| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100114080801/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8446090.stm| archive-date= 14 January 2010 | url-status= live}}
In 2013 Ashley choreographed a tour for Diversity called Limitless. The tour ran from 30 November to 16 December.{{cite web|title=Limitless tickets|url=http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Diversity-tickets/artist/93963?tm_link=artist_artistvenue_module|access-date=25 November 2013}}{{cite web|title=Limitless|url=http://www.diversityofficial.com/tour|access-date=17 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019165538/http://www.diversityofficial.com/tour|archive-date=19 October 2017|url-status=dead}}
In 2021, Ashley partnered with detergent brand Persil and TV channel Sky Nature to make a series of short films highlighting environmental action.{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=David |title=Persil and Sky Nature partner for Changemakers films encouraging social and environmental action |url=https://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/persil-and-sky-nature-partner-for-changemakers-films-encouraging-social-and-environmental-action |website=Mobile Marketing Magazine |date=22 February 2021 |access-date=9 August 2021}}
In June 2023, he began playing the Tin Woodman in the West End revival of The Wizard of Oz.{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Sophie |date=2023-02-23 |title=Jason Manford and Ashley Banjo to star in 'The Wizard of Oz' |url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/jason-manford-and-ashley-banjo-to-star-in-the-wizard-of-oz |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=London Theatre |language=en}}
Television work
Ashley was a judge on Sky1's dancing talent show Got to Dance for all five series. Diversity appeared as guest performers at least once every series. In total they did nine performances on the show.{{cite web|title=Jordan and Perri talk about Diversity performances|url=http://www.sky.com/tv/show/got-to-dance/video/backstage-week-two|access-date=1 February 2014}} In 2015, he presented Perspectives: Michael Jackson's Thriller with Ashley Banjo.
In 2016, Banjo co-presented Can't Touch This, a Saturday night game show for BBC One, alongside Zoe Ball.{{cite news|title=BBC game show hosted by Zoe Ball wraps up filming in Titanic Quarter's T13: Can't Touch This set to return to Belfast|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/bbc-game-show-hosted-by-zoe-ball-wraps-up-filming-in-titanic-quarters-t13-cant-touch-this-set-to-return-to-belfast-31533459.html|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=26 January 2016}} In 2017, Banjo was a judge on the new ITV series Dance Dance Dance, presented by Alesha Dixon and Will Best.
Since January 2018, Banjo has been part of the judging panel on Dancing on Ice, starting with its tenth series in 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/dancing-on-ice/news/a840978/dancing-on-ice-ashley-banjo-judge/|title=Dancing on Ice confirms Ashley Banjo as judge for 2018 series|work=Digital Spy|date=19 October 2017|access-date=19 October 2017}}
In August 2020, it was announced that due to Simon Cowell's bike injury and recovery period, Banjo would replace Cowell for the live semi-final and final shows of the 14th series of Britain's Got Talent.{{Cite web|last1=Alex|first1=Susannah|last2=er|date=2020-08-23|title=Britain's Got Talent announces Ashley Banjo as Simon Cowell's replacement for semi-finals|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a33687470/britains-got-talent-simon-cowell-replacement-ashley-banjo/|access-date=2020-08-23|website=Digital Spy|language=en-GB}}
Filmography
Personal life
After winning Britain's Got Talent in 2009, Banjo took a break from his schooling to concentrate on his dancing.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} He said that "from the age of 14, I started to teach myself routines". Banjo was in a thirteen-year relationship with Francesca Abbott, who is a member of another dance troupe called Out of the Shadows. They announced their engagement on 2 October 2014.{{cite web|title=Ashley Banjo on twitter|url=https://twitter.com/AshleyBanjo/status/517709786713169920|website=Twitter|access-date=2 October 2014}}{{Primary source inline|date=November 2019}} Ashley and Francesa have two children, Rose (born 2019) and Micah (born 2020).{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} Ashley and Francesca announced on 23 December 2022 that they had separated 18 months earlier.{{Cite web |last=Beasley |first=Tom |date=2022-12-23 |title=Ashley Banjo has split from his wife after 16 years as a couple |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ashley-banjo-separates-wife-francesca-childhood-sweetheart-095332434.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAB5VCEixvgdjUHM7i0pqtTPAYBoPlFOgmLrTAOiZVxI9h9joehTYudvggerYXzsm4Yg9g7ulyyzYMrWjg3qhPiEmhVKRRSioj0MEA_MWQIU1cw1BL-uD_DCm673c1lC07-bNOS8nTQYkDg1Y3mWx11zgjOefzK4lZlVmIH4hju5f |url-status= |archive-date= |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-GB}}
Ashley Banjo is an Official Ambassador of the United Dance Organisation.{{Cite web |url=http://www.udostreetdance.com/weareudo/ambassadors |title=Ambassadors – UDO Street Dance |access-date=12 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308101859/http://www.udostreetdance.com/weareudo/ambassadors |archive-date=8 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}
Banjo was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to dance.{{London Gazette|issue=63571|supp=y|page=N16|date=1 January 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-59780013 |title=New Year Honours 2022: Lumley and Redgrave become dames |date=31 December 2021|accessdate=3 January 2022|work=BBC News}}{{Cite news |date=2021-12-31 |title=Diversity's Ashley Banjo 'humbled and proud' with MBE honour |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-59838953 |access-date=2022-03-02}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=3698605|name=Ashley Banjo}}
- [https://www.ashleybanjo.com Ashley Banjo Website]
{{Hip-hop dance}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Banjo, Ashley Modurotolu}}
Category:21st-century British dancers
Category:Black British male actors
Category:Black British television personalities
Category:Britain's Got Talent contestants
Category:British hip-hop dancers
Category:English people of Nigerian descent
Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire
Category:People from Leytonstone