entertainment
January 2, 2026
‘I felt like my Bafta statue was judging me!’ Gbemisola Ikumelo on backlashes, Black Ops and why 2026 will be her year
Whether she’s a chicken-obsessed schoolboy or a hapless cop fighting a plot to bring down Notting Hill carnival, the comic actor’s dizzying range means she may soon need a bigger awards shelf
TL;DR
- Gbemisola Ikumelo has won two BAFTA awards and is hopeful that her short film "Brain in Gear" will become a series.
- She has taken on roles in US productions like "The Paper" but feels most at home with UK comedy.
- Ikumelo decided to publicly share her experiences with microaggressions, which she initially feared would harm her career but instead led to supportive feedback and congratulations.
- Her TV breakout role was in Dane Baptiste's "Sunny D," followed by writing and starring in the BBC sketch show "Famalam."
- The comedy "Black Ops," co-created by Ikumelo, features her as a community support officer going undercover with a partner, exploring the contrast between their ordinary lives and crime-fighting adventures.
- The second season of "Black Ops" sees the characters promoted to MI5 and involves a plot to disrupt Notting Hill carnival.
- Ikumelo aims to challenge stereotypes and diversify the representation of Black characters, particularly Black Londoners, in media.
Continue reading the original article