Babatunde Aléshé could well be about to land himself a whole new audience as the latest series of I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! gets underway.
The stand-up comic is one of 10 celebrities who’ll be arriving in camp when the show makes its long-awaited return to the Australian jungle (with two more famous faces, including former health secretary Matt Hancock set to make an appearance later in the series) after two years away due to Covid restrictions.
With an array of TV appearances already to his name, there’s every chance Babatunde could well already look familiar to you.
If that’s the case, and you’re now wondering where you know him from, allow us to bring you up to speed...
Those already familiar with Babatunde Aléshé most likely know him thanks to his work as a stand-up comic
First and foremost, before his TV roles and other on-screen appearances, Babatunde is a stand-up comedian, a craft he’s now been honing for just shy of 20 years.
Babatunde has performed at venues all over the UK, perhaps most impressively at London’s O2 Arena thanks to his work as Mo Gilligan’s support act and his contribution to the Black British Comedy Takeover in 2021.
Among his awards wins are the Amused Moose National New Comic Award in 2019, and Best Newcomer at the Black Entertainment Comedy Awards.
He was inspired to get into stand-up after staying up late to watch an Eddie Murphy special
“I was like: ‘what the hell is this?’” he recalled. “I just loved the feeling of laughing. You know when your stomach hurts, that feeling where it says, stop making me laugh for just five seconds? I love that. I crave that.”
Babtunde eventually tried stand-up for the first time when he was just 17, performing in the library of the Croydon Clocktower.
“I did OK, I didn’t bomb!” he admitted. “But you can tell, number one, that all my material was hacked… And, number two, you can tell I was 100 percent fresh.”
And if you like what you hear, you might want to catch him on his UK tour in 2023
Babtunde will be hitting venues around the country on his Babahood tour next year, with live shows already scheduled between January and May. Visit his website for more info
He’s made a number of TV appearances in recent years
If Babatunde’s face looks familiar, there’s every chance you’ve got him in action on a slew of the comedy shows he’s appeared on over the years.
These include The Stand Up Sketch Show, Jonathan Ross Stand Up Club, Richard Osman’s House Of Games and Don’t Hate the Playaz – and you’ll also be able to see him performing on Live At The Apollo later in the year.
You may have also head him presenting the Throwback Throwdown show on BBC Radio 1Xtra, and offering his take on the latest action from the Love Island villa on spin-off show Aftersun.
Oh and then there’s Celebrity Gogglebox
Did the penny just drop? For the past two years, Babatunde has been Mo Gilligan’s right-hand man as they pass comment on the past week’s worth of telly on Celebrity Gogglebox.
At the time Mo first approached him about joining him on the sofa, he was actually still working as a Customer Service Advisor for TFL, a role he was furloughed from during the pandemic.
“Honest to God, we were just being ourselves,” he said of his and Mo’s antics. “We didn’t think, let’s turn up the funny – we were literally just being ourselves. Most of the time we forgot that the cameras were there – which they always say, but it’s true.
“And there’s a lot that got cut out! We had the crew dying with laughter. And working with Mo is just the easiest thing.”
But as well as his comedy career, Babatunde has also acted in an array of TV shows
In fact, he trained alongside Kit Harington at the Central School of Speech and Drama, but he’s made no secret of the fact that comedy is where his heart lies.
His on-screen acting credits include EastEnders, Law & Order: UK and Doctor Who, in which he shared the screen with Matt Smith and James Corden in the popular episode The Lodger.
He’s also very active on both Twitter and Instagram
Of course, throughout his time in the jungle, he’s handed over his social media accounts to a friend, but when he’s out you can follow him on both Instagram and Twitter.
We can’t wait to see how he fares in the jungle…
Before landing in Australia, he admitted his fears include “absolutely everything”.
“I am going to see what happens but I know I will be doing a lot of screaming for sure!” he shared.
“I am not looking forward to any trials but in terms of the one I am dreading the most, I saw one where someone was lying in a box and they put things into the box like snakes and mice. Now that would freak me out. I think I will lose it.”
Babatunde joked: “Hopefully it won’t be a mistake.”
I’m A Celebrity launches on Sunday night at 9pm on ITV.