The new BBC drama debuts this week, but who stars in Champion?
Get ready for your next BBC drama obsession, as Champion lands on our screens this Saturday (1st July).
The new eight-part drama marks the first TV project from bestselling author Candice Carty-Williams and follows siblings Vita and Bosco Champion as they face a brand new rivalry with one another that spans their professional and personal lives.
The synopsis for the series reads: “Rap sensation Bosco Champion is home from prison, and ready to dominate the music industry once more.
“But when his dutiful younger sister Vita’s own talent is discovered by Bosco’s rival, she steps out of her brother’s shadow to become a performer in her own right, setting the Champion siblings against one another and tearing apart the whole family in the process.”
Leading the cast as the siblings are Déja J Bowens and Malcolm Kamulete as Vita and Bosco respectively, but the cast of Champion is home to some very familiar faces, as well as rising acting talent.
So, who else stars in Champion and where have you perhaps seen them before? Read on for everything you need to know about the cast for the new BBC drama.
Champion cast: Full list of actors and characters in BBC drama
The full cast list for Champion is below but scroll on for more information on the main characters in the series.
- Déja J Bowens as Vita Champion
- Malcolm Kamulete as Bosco Champion
- Ray BLK as Honey
- Nadine Marshall as Aria Champion
- Ray Fearon as Beres Champion
- Jo Martin as Dawn
- Kerim Hassan as Memet
- Genesis Lynea as Tayo
- Karl Collins as Lennox
- Corey Weekes as Bulla
- Adeyinka Akinrinade as Chantelle
- Tom Forbes as Mark
- Francis Lovehall as Laurent
- Rachel Adedeji as Yemi
- Keiren Hamilton-Amos as Rusty
- Olivia-Rose Colliard as Milan
- Francis Lovehall as Laurent
- Grace Farrell as Amber
- Priscilla Fagbemi as Jade
- Fergus Rees as Philip
Déja J Bowens plays Vita Champion
!["Déja]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Champion-cast-Vita-af16d3a.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"432976,Champion\"")
Who is Vita Champion? Vita is Bosco’s sister and has put her own talents and career dreams on hold to be his assistant and work in her mother’s Caribbean restaurant. But when her talents are discovered, she soon realises she wants to be a performer like her brother.
Where have I seen Déja J Bowens before? Champion is Bowens’s TV debut, and as one of the leads of this new musical drama, we’re sure it won’t be the last we see of the rising actress on our screens.
Malcolm Kamulete plays Bosco Champion
!["Malcolm]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Champion-BBC-cast-1-21320ab.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"431554,Champion\"")
Who is Bosco Champion? We meet Bosco as he’s struggling to get back into music after being released from prison. The rap sensation has problems of his own but when his sister becomes his new rival, how will things pan out for the siblings?
Where have I seen Malcolm Kamulete before? Top Boy fans will recognise Kamulete for his role as Ra’Nell Smith in the first two seasons of the show when they aired on Channel 4, as well as Ill Manors. He has since starred in a number of short films.
Ray BLK plays Honey
!["Ray]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Champion-cast-RayBLK-8df62d2.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"431555,Champion\"")
Who is Honey? Honey is Vita’s best friend and works as a barber, but has dreams of one day being a singer – although it seems as though opportunities keep passing her by.
Where have I seen Ray BLK before? Champion marks Ray BLK’s first TV debut as an actress but the singer/songwriter will be recognisable to many, winning the BBC’s Sound of 2017.
Nadine Marshall plays Aria Champion
!["Nadine]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Champion-cast-Nadine-ef4d1c4.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"427889,Champion\"")
Who is Aria Champion? Aria is Vita and Bosco’s mother, who runs a Caribbean restaurant and always seems to be stressed about the welfare of her son, regularly shifting the responsibility to her daughter.
Where have I seen Nadine Marshall before? Marshall has been in a number of acclaimed productions including BBC’s Sherwood, Silent Witness, ITV’s Trigger Point, Time and Small Axe, as well as in film The Silent Twins.
Ray Fearon plays Beres Champion
!["Ray]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Champion-BBC-cast-2-80f6449.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"427887,Champion\"")
Who is Beres Champion? Beres is the patriarch of the Champion family and runs a reggae radio station. He has big musical dreams for his family after his own father owned a sound system in Jamaica, but are his dreams damaging the Champion family?
Where have I seen Ray Fearon before? Fearon has starred in a number of primetime British TV shows including Doctors and Coronation Street, but has also appeared in BBC’s radio adaptation of His Dark Materials, and the live-action 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast.
Jo Martin plays Dawn
!["Jo]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Champion-BBC-cast-JoMartin-feb17d2.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"428208,Champion\"")
Who is Dawn? Dawn is Bosco’s music manager but seems to not be as enthusiastic about his career prospects as his sister.
Where have I seen Jo Martin before? Martin is perhaps best known for her roles in Holby City and Doctor Who – as the Fugitive Doctor in season 12 of the long-running sci-fi series. She is set to star in The Marlow Murder Club and The Grime Kids, as well as in The Fugitive Doctor Adventures, an audio drama series focused on her character, which will be produced by Big Finish.
Corey Weekes plays Bulla
!["Corey]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Champion-BBC-cast-Corey-403617d.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"431542,Champion\"")
Who is Bulla? Bulla is Bosco’s long-term rap rival and is one of the people to discover and platform his sister Vita’s talents.
Where have I seen Corey Weekes before? Weekes has appeared in Doctors and Coronation Street.
Kerim Hassan plays Memet
!["Malcolm]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Champion-cast-Kerim-c2b83c3.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"432967,Champion\"")
Who is Memet? Memet is Bosco’s best friend and is a Turkish DJ and music producer. He’s not part of the Champion family, but it definitely feels like it – as he’s close with everyone.
Where have I seen Kerim Hassan before? Hassan has appeared in Once Upon a Time in London, Obsession and Hapless, as well as various short films like The Boy Who Stole God.
Champion begins Saturday 1 July at 9:15pm on BBC One, with all episodes then available immediately on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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