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Clara Amfo

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Clara Amfo
Amfo in 2019
Born
Kingston upon Thames, London, England
Alma materSt Mary's University College[1]
Occupations
Years active2009–present
Known forPresenting on BBC Radio 1
Television
Websiteclaraamfo.com

Clara Amfo is a British radio broadcaster, television presenter, podcast host and voice-over artist. She is known for presenting her shows on BBC Radio 1.[2]

Early life and education

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Born [3] to Ghanaian parents. She has five siblings.[4] Her father, who died in 2015, was an NHS microbiologist, and her mother a hospital cleaner.[5] After leaving Holy Cross School,[6] she went on to study media arts with professional and creative writing at St Mary's University College.[7]

Career

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Amfo started out as a marketing intern at Kiss FM.[8] Amfo hosted the British premiere of Red Riding Hood, Baby Driver, Tomb Raider, Kingsman and Marvel's Black Panther at Hammersmith Apollo and has reported from events in the UK, including Wireless, Global Gathering, SW4 and NASS festivals. In 2012 she was nominated for a Sony Radio Award in the Rising Star category.[9][10] In September 2013, Amfo joined BBC Radio 1Xtra as host of the weekend breakfast show. In 2013, she was hired as the host of MTV's weekly Official UK Top 40[11] and Top 20 Chart shows, as well as The Official Chart Update and Top 20.[12][13] On 26 September 2013, Amfo appeared on BBC Radio 1's Innuendo Bingo.[14]

In 2015, Amfo became the host of The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1. In February 2015 it was announced she would be taking over from Fearne Cotton as host of Radio 1's weekday mid-morning show – home of the Live Lounge – on 25 May 2015, and therefore be departing from 1Xtra's weekend breakfast show.[2] In July 2016, Amfo became the narrator of Coach Trip on E4. In February 2017, Amfo presented backstage at the BRIT Awards for ITV2. In December 2017, she presented The Year in Music 2017 with Claudia Winkleman on BBC Two. She also presented Top of the Pops for the first time, with Fearne Cotton on BBC One. In February 2018, Amfo returned to the BRIT Awards backstage on ITV2. In June 2020, Amfo was widely praised for making a speech on her mid-morning show on BBC Radio 1, about George Floyd's murder, racism and its effect on her own mental health.[15]

In September 2020, Amfo appeared as a contestant on the eighteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec. She was eliminated in week 6 of the competition; her elimination was described by judge Motsi Mabuse as the "toughest decision" of the series.[16] Later that year, Amfo co-hosted Fashioned with fashion historian Amber Butchart; the series explored how the history of fashion relates to relates to social movements such as feminism and civil rights.[17]

In February 2021, the paint manufacturer Dulux announced Amfo as the ambassador for the Dulux Colour of the Year 2021, Brave Ground.[18] Amfo began presenting the Future Sounds show on Radio 1 from 30 July 2021, taking over from Annie Mac, who left the station. Rickie, Melvin and Charlie took over Amfo's Live Lounge show.[19][20]

In June 2021, Amfo appeared alongside her brother, Andy, on the third series of Celebrity Gogglebox.[21] In December 2021, Amfo appeared on the revived series of The Weakest Link and won the episode.

In February 2022, she was a guest judge on the Snatch Game episode for the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World.[22]

In December 2023, Amfo and Raye appeared on the twelfth series of The Voice UK as guest mentors for team Anne-Marie.[23]

In March 2024, Amfo presented her final Future Sounds programme on BBC Radio 1. In May 2024, she began hosting Studio Sessions on ITV, in which an artist takes to the stage in front of a select audience in the Blueroom, located inside the O2 Arena, with Amfo interviewing the artists between songs. Amongst those interviewed were Becky Hill, Cat Burns, Jess Glynne, Sekou, Tom Walker, Yungblud[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Who is replacing Ferne Cotton on Radio 1?". metro.co.uk. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b Butterfly, Amelia (27 February 2015). "Clara Amfo announced as new Radio 1 Live Lounge presenter". BBC. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  3. ^ Howell, Georgia L. (13 October 2022). "Four influential Black people from Kingston Upon Thames". River Online. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  4. ^ Brzezinski, Victoria. "Clara Amfo: 'I've learnt how to create optical illusions and to avenge my teenage self'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  5. ^ Woode, David (4 March 2022). "Clara Amfo: 'I'm a dark-skinned black girl, so to be seen by my diasporan peers is special'". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Clara Amfo Shares Lessons from Her School Days". 14 April 2020.
  7. ^ Ian Burrell, "Clara Amfo: Radio 1’s new chart host must placate pop's fan armies – the Swifties and Azaleans", The Independent, 15 December 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  8. ^ "1Xtra Weekend Breakfast Show now hosted by Clara Amfo", Spyghana.com. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  9. ^ Davies, Rebecca (31 March 2012). "Sony Radio Academy Awards nominations revealed, Moyles snubbed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Radio presenter nominated for Sony award (From Watford Observer)". Archived from the original on 1 September 2014.
  11. ^ Lolade Jinadu, "Clara Amfo lands 'iconic' radio role", The Voice, 15 December 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  12. ^ Hart, Tina. "Tim Westwood departs Radio 1 and 1Xtra as new Saturday night schedules revealed". Music Week. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  13. ^ Peter Yeung, "Who is Clara Amfo?", The Daily Telegraph, 21 May 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  14. ^ "Innuendo Bingo with Clara Amfo". YouTube, 26 September 2013.
  15. ^ Savage, Mark (2 June 2020). "Radio 1's Amfo makes emotional racism speech". BBC News. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Strictly fans divided as Clara Amfo eliminated in 'toughest decision yet'". Daily Mirror. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  17. ^ Wynn, Aiden (4 December 2020). "Clara Amfo's new podcast charts the history of fashion". Stylist. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  18. ^ "BBC Radio 1's Clara Amfo made ambassador at Dulux". 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  19. ^ BBC Radio 1's Breakfast Show with Greg James - 20 April 2021
  20. ^ "Clara Amfo to become new host of BBC Radio 1's Future Sounds" (Press release). Online: BBC. BBC Media Centre. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Gogglebox Welcomes Host Of Brilliant New Stars For Celebrity Series Including Clara Amfo". HuffPost UK. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  22. ^ Brocklehurst, Harrison (12 January 2022). "Here's everything we know so far about RuPaul's Drag Race: UK Versus The World". The Tab. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  23. ^ "So much fun being a guest judge on team AM with Raye on The Voice UK". Instagram. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Radio 1's Clara Amfo confirms first project since radio exit". Digital Spy. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
[edit]
Media offices
Preceded by BBC Radio 1
Chart show presenter
25 January 2015 – 5 July 2015 		Succeeded by
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