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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Annabel Nugent

Who is Babatunde Aléshé? I’m a Celebrity contestant in profile

ITV

Among this year’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! contestants is Babatunde Aléshé.

Ant and Dec are back to present the latest series of ITV‘s hit reality series, which returns to the Australian outback this year, following two seasons in Wales during the pandemic.

Aléshé will be joining stars such as Boy George, Charlene White, and politician Matt Hancock in the camp this year.

Viewers will likely recognise the actor and comedian from TV shows including EastEnders and Doctor Who. He also made a memorable appearance alongside his friend, comedian Mo Gilligan on Celebrity Gogglebox.

The 36-year-old has toured the UK as a comedian, performing at venues including the Soho Theatre, the O2, and the Hackney Empire.

He won the prize for Best Newcomer at the Black Entertainment Comedy Awards as well as the Amused Moose National New Comic Award in 2019.

In 2021, Aléshé supported Gilligan on the fellow comedian’s sold-out national tour.

His other TV credits include the BBC’s  Romesh Ranganathan’s reboot of The Weakest Link, Guessable on Comedy Central, The Stand Up Sketch Show on ITV2, and the Jonathan Ross Stand Up Club on ITV1.

Aléshé also featured in the Channel 4 documentary Black, British and Funny.

In addition to his work in comedy, Aléshé is also an actor, having appeared in a long list of shows such as Walking the Dead, and films such as Pelican Blood.

Babatunde Aléshé (left) and Mo Gilligan on ‘Celebrity Gogglebox’ (Channel 4)

On stage, he has starred in the Soho Teatre’s Ilya Ilé in 2009, and Requiem for Tomorrow at the Shaw Theatre in 2006.

Speaking about his decision to enter the jungle on this year’s I’m a Celeb, Aléshé said: “Mo thinks it is going to be funny but he also thinks it is good I am taking part. He is far too busy though to vote for me for the trials but in his head, he will be!”

The star also admitted he is scared of “absolutely everything” and predicted he will spend a good portion of the series “doing a lot of screaming”.

I’m a Celebrity airs nightly on ITV at 9pm.

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