- Michael Obiora
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Michael Obiora 
Born 8 October 1986
North London, EnglandOccupation Actor, Writer Years active 1996–present Michael Obiora (born 8 October 1986, North London, England) is an English actor and writer.
Contents
Career
Michael Obiora was born on 8 October 1986 in North-West London to Nigerian-Igbo parents. As a 6 year old, Obiora was determined to become an entertainer like his idol Michael Jackson and his mother enrolled him in drama lessons.[1]
At age 9, he became the youngest actor to have appeared in Grange Hill; he played Max Abassi on the programme for five years.
Just before his eighteenth birthday Obirora landed a role playing the part of Gunner Jackson Clarke, a soldier in ITV’s eight-part series Bombshell, starring opposite Footballers Wives star Zöe Lucker. Shortly after filming Bombshell, Obirora started a seven-month run in the play Elmina’s Kitchen written by Kwame Kwei-Armah, at the Garrick Theatre. He also had a role in the stage play Exclude Me, completing a successful 11-week run on stage at The Chelsea Theatre and lead roles in the play Fallout at the Royal Court Theatre and Badnuff at The Soho Theatre.
Obiora has had television roles in My Family, Judge John Deed, Sea of Souls, ITV1’s Afterlife , Doctor Who, Doctors, Powers, The Bill and Holby City. He was in four episodes of EastEnders, the first episode of which aired on 11 June 2009, in which he played playboy footballer, Ellis Prince.
Obiora played receptionist Ben Trueman in the BBC One drama series Hotel Babylon,[2] which was cancelled after its fourth series. He will join the cast of the long-running medical drama Casualty for its 26th season playing the part of Lloyd, a nurse.[3]
Personal life
Obiora is a sports and fitness enthusiast and is a keen Arsenal fan. He has written a novel, Black Shoes, that was released in e-book format in 2009.[1] He is also writing a screenplay, setting up a production company and a clothing line and has plans to open a restaurant in the near future. For years Obiora suffered from debilitating stomach pains and extreme fatigue which caused his speech to slur and often hampered his work.[4] In 2008 he was diagnosed with coeliac disease and has thus had to control his diet.[5]
Appearances
Year Show Role 1998–2002 Grange Hill Max Abassi 2002 Doctors Adam Charlton 2003 The Bill Nathan Morley 2003 Holby City Perry Green 2004 Sea of Souls Lucas 2004 Powers Tyrone Lewis 2004 My Family Jack 2005 Judge John Deed Jez Balfe 2006 Bombshell Gunner Jackson Clark 2006 Afterlife Terence Olivets 2006–2009 Hotel Babylon Ben Trueman 2007 Doctor Who DI Billy Shipton 2007 The MOBOS Himself; Guest Presenter 2007 Children in Need Ben Trueman 2008 Big Brothers Big Mouth Himself 2008 Nuts TV Himself 2008 The Wright Stuff Himself; Guest Panelist 2008 Soccer AM Himself 2008 Ready Steady Cook Himself; Contestant 2008 Breakfast Himself 2009 OH TV Himself; Guest Panelist 2009 Celebrity MasterChef Himself 2009 EastEnders Ellis 2009 Misfits Detective Pete 2011 Lethal Andrew 2011 Casualty Lloyd Asike References
- ^ a b Lovejoy, Tim; Louise Redknapp and Simon Rimmer. (28 June 2009) (in English). Something for the Weekend (Television production). BBC 2.
- ^ Morris, Davina (22 February 2006). "'It's Great Acting Gay'". Voice. http://archive.voice-online.co.uk/content.php?show=8557. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
- ^ "New Nurses For BBC's Casualty". ATV Today. http://www.atvtoday.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1449:new-nurses-for-bbcs-casualty&catid=24:soap-news&Itemid=27. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
- ^ Cross, Julie (28 October 2009). "How coeliac disease left Hotel Babylon star Michael Obiora slurring his speech". Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1222667/How-coeliac-disease-left-Hotel-Babylon-star-Michael-Obiora-slurring-speech.html. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
- ^ Briggs, Helen (9 July 2009). "Hotel Babylon star on coeliac disease". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8136063.stm. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
- ^ Michael Obiora page on IMDB
External links
Categories:- 1986 births
- Living people
- People from London
- English actors
- English stage actors
- Black British actors
- Black British writers
- English people of Igbo descent
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