Are you watching The Pact series 2? Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayola (born May 1968) is a Welsh actress, best known for her role as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Born May 11, 1968 Add to list Won 1 BAFTA Award 1 win total Photos 13 Known for You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. As far as I'm aware, the BBC only allowed it to be nominated for that one award, for the graphics. She presented the film at the Cannes film festival, using it as part of her campaign for increased black representation in theatre, films and television. Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 52 years old? That was when, as confirmed by the. Ayola is an advocate of increased ethnic representation in the entertainment industry, and in 2001 founded her own production company, producing the short film Persephones Playground for the Cannes film festival in order to further her campaign. [] The one time I was asked to play a Welsh character on screen was in Tiger Bay for BBC Wales, but I know if that series had been called Radyr Park or Cyncoed Close I wouldnt have been in it. It would be nice just to stay put for a while. We had got on very well coming out of the first series. [9] Ayola's first job was selling jeans on Bessemer Road Market in Cardiff. [1] In 2020, she won the Best Female Actor in a Play award at the Black British Theatre Awards for her performance in On Bear Ridge for National Theatre Wales and the Royal Court. Pedro Pascals Cameo In Buffy The Vampire Slayer Is The Ultimate Throwback, Courteney Cox Reunited With Her 'Friends' Co-Stars For The Best Reason, The Real Reason Selena Gomez Hid Her Love Of Friends' For Years, Nicola Coughlan Just Leaked The Funniest BTS Snap From 'Bridgerton' S3. [28] She was approached about returning to the show in a more permanent role by BBC casting director Julie Harkin. Rakie says of her character: When we meet her thats the weight shes carrying the weight of having lost a child. This brand new story makes way for new characters with the cast, including Cardiff-born, Bafta-winning actress Rakie Ayola (Anthony), who takes centre stage alongside serving as executive producer. It was something innovative from BBC Wales for a change. She said at the time: "I've had a great time and I'll miss it. [7] She explains: "I've always wanted to act. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? Performance & security by Cloudflare. [12] She has identified her dream role to be that of Isabella in Measure for Measure,[13] as she once lost out on the part and would like to prove herself capable of playing it. The hit West End musical Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to have its cast refreshed, with Holby City's Rakie Ayola taking over as Hermione Granger and Waterloo Road's Jamie Glover . Add a photo or add a quote . 132.148.83.54 She could potentially return to the seaside town, so its not clear yet if Rakie Ayola will appear in the next series of Grace. DATE OF BIRTH : 1968. In an interview with the publication she explained the kinds of events the charity puts on for children. The Pact series 2 ending explained after that almighty twist! Rakie Ayola talks about attending her first BAFTA Awards and what it was like playing Gee Walker in Anthony. [4] Ayola's heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language. In the same year, she also starred as Prime Minister Opal Folami in BBC drama Noughts and Crosses. Ayola told Radio Times: She probably wasnt a brilliant bobby on the beat; she would have done what she needed to do, but thats not where her strengths are, she said on the Radio Times, Her strengths are in detecting understanding the kind of person that would commit a crime and why they would do it, then looking into that.. And then Holby came along, so Im very grateful. Read on to find out why and to learn about her two characters past and present in The Pact. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Rakie Ayola: I seem to be able to breathe life into all this grief and loss, hanks to the internet, Rakie Ayola can pinpoint the exact moment that she knew she wanted a career in showbusiness: 8.15pm on 19 December 1976. She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. This March, ITV is giving us another crime drama to get our teeth into. She was cared for by her birth mothers cousin from Sierra Leone and his Welsh wife. See also Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs Adam Smethurst, with whom she has two daughters. But he got back in touch (with the script for series 2) and said: Just have a look at this., I didnt really know where I might fit in, but when I read it again through Christines eyes I thought, Ah, right, this is it. In 2001, she also played Miss French in EastEnders, while other credits include Doctor Who, Sea of Souls and CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. Tansy has undergone extensive surgeries to treat neurofibramatosis type 1 (NF1) and Rakie is Patron of The Childhood Tumour trust. In 2001, she became a presenter of the BBC Wales arts programme Double Yellow, alongside poet Owen Sheers and performance artist Mark Rees. In October 2008, Rakie announced that she would be leaving Holby City to have her second child. [7], Ayola began her career in the theatre, performing in a number of Shakespearean plays including Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. 173.236.136.90 "Noma Dumezweni on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child's next steps", "Bafta Television Awards 2021: The main nominations", "I thought I was diabetic - but I was pregnant", "BBC - Press Office - Sea of Souls Rakie Ayola", "Education: Actress honoured with fellowship", "BBC Online - Just the Job - Take it from me", "Interview: Rakie's lesson one: Fake blood just sticks to the cotton wool", "He m@il She m@il; Rakie Ayola answers your questions", "To be but not to be - the 'perfect' Hamlet pairing", "My Axed Show Anger - Star Rakie blasts Beeb", "Sexy brief's soap role fits like a glove", "I was just a baby but mum left me behind; TV sitcom star Rakie Ayola on her traumatic childhood", "CBBC's new musical comedy My Almost Famous Family: Rakie Ayola is mum and diva Shalondra", "Motherhood leaves Rakie with nothing to Dredd from acting", "Who are the new Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast? Performance & security by Cloudflare. TV Shows. Rakie Ayola (Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayoola) was born on 1968-05- in Cardiff, is an Actress. No Doubt ", "Black Wales; After Halle Berry and Denzil Washington's Oscar success, we find out what it means to be black and Welsh today", "Are we less racist than the rest of Britain? She presented the film at the Cannes film festival, using it as part of her campaign for increased black representation in theatre, films and television. Welsh actress Rakie Ayola is to leave Holby City at the end of the year, Digital Spy can exclusively reveal. Jack played Eddie Booth in popular 70s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour. Rakie explains: The writer, Pete McTighe, and I were in the early stages of another project. Trending: 17,487th This Week. She posed nude but for a pair of yellow rubber gloves to promote the shows launch, and was highly critical of the BBC when the show was cancelled midway through its second series. Rakie was born in May 1968, making her 52-years-old. If Im going to be a working mum Id rather just be one rather than be one intermittently. that inspired her to act as a child, though credits her adoptive mother with encouraging her to act professionally. Its an unusual move, but, she says, having connected with a group of performers of colour who have her back, shes learned to dream bigger. [48] She has expressed a desire to visit Brazil and Argentina, and has "a romantic notion of travelling around Europe in a camper van". Normally when youre nominated at 52, you were nominated also at 22 and 32. Between 2003 and 2008 she starred in Holby City and played Olivia Lennox in season five of Shetland. Ayola describes herself as "optimistic, cynical, lazy, naive [and] honest". I got no response, which is probably a good thing., After her secondary school drama teacher told Ayolas adoptive mother one hour a week of drama is not enough for this child, mother and daughter would drive to Orbit youth theatre in Cardiff every Saturday. Ayola was born in Cardiff, Wales in May 1968, to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father. Who plays Assistant Chief Constable Alison Vosper in ITV1s Grace? Ayola says of her film career: I really like doing film [but] Ive not done enough big films though to really know the difference between film and television.. Your IP: Ayola was born in Cardiff, Wales in May 1968, to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father. "[11] She has also appeared in modern performances, assuming the title role of Dido, Queen of Carthage at the Globe Theatre in London in 2003, which she described as "a dream of a part". Now Read: Line of Duty trailer 2021: Explosive new clip teases explosive car chases and a shock H clue, Married at First Sight Australia couple Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli welcome, EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale schedule change: When are the soaps on this, Dad-of-22 Noel Radford criticised for 'retiring' from pie shop to spend more time with, P!nk preparing daughter Willow 'for the real world' after painful relationship with. Ayola is an advocate of increased ethnic representation in the entertainment industry, and in 2001 founded her own production company, producing the short film Persephone's Playground for the Cannes Film Festival in order to further her campaign. She has three grown-up children: Will (Lloyd Everitt); Jamie (Aaron Anthony); Megan (Mali Ann Rees). She is from . She had previously appeared in Holby Citys sister show Casualty, and had made an appearance in Holby Citys fifth series as patient Marianne Lawson. Ayolas other notable television appearances include the BBC psychological thriller Green-Eyed Monster (2001), soap opera EastEnders (2001), Waking the Dead (2001), Londons Burning (2001), Offenders (2002), Murder in Mind (2003), The Canterbury Tales (2003) and Sea of Souls (2004). Ayola has performed in Twelfth Night in the lead roles of both Olivia and Viola. In July last year, Ayola played Gee Walker in BBC Ones TV movie Anthony. Cardiff would become the the genesis and spiritual home of Ayolas career. "[7] She then went on to attend the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying for a three-year acting diploma. In 2009, Ayola starred in the CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. While her character is good at her job, shes not the stereotypical police officer. But it was 2021 which really propelled Rakie to fame. Rakie Ayolas income source is mostly from being a successful Actress. The Bafta-winning actor is returning to The Pact as a different character. [23] In 2009, Ayola starred in the CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. Rakie Ayolas husband is actor Adam Smethurst, the son of Jack Smethurst. Dark family secrets, a mysterious death, and friends sworn to silence, new BBC thriller The Pact has all this and more. Rakie is a Trustee of ACT, the Actors' Children's Trust, and an Ambassador of PIPA, Parents in Performing Arts. At 53 years old, Rakie Ayola height is 1.65m . [26], In 2020, she won the Best Female Actor in a Play award at the Black British Theatre Awards for her performance in On Bear Ridge for National Theatre Wales and the Royal Court. HUSBAND : Actor, Adam Smethhurst. [37] She has noted having casting directors accept the notion of characters being both black and Welsh to be a particular problem, explaining that: "I get offered a lot of very different roles, but they're never Welsh. His unorthodox police methods have come under scrutiny once again and Grace is walking a career tightrope and risks being moved from the job he loves most. But because youre the dark-skinned woman, theres no actual picture of you. [47] Ayola has an interest in travel, and has visited Peru and Kenya among other destinations. At the age of 13, she set up a theatre company, the Talent Amateur Dramatic Society, with a few friends. It was so unexpected. Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions. Samantha Bond)", BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rakie_Ayola&oldid=1137572574, Alumni of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award (television) winners, Articles with dead external links from February 2019, Articles with dead external links from April 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from July 2022, Articles with dead external links from October 2017, Articles with dead external links from October 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Episode "That Old Black Magic" parts 1 and 2, Episode 17.3 " The Ballad of Midsomer County", This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 09:59. It would be nice just to stay put for a while. We're not going to tiptoe around Martha's disability or anything.' It's an unusual move, but, she says, having connected with a group of performers of colour who have her back, she's learned. They met when acting together on stage in Hamlet. She remembers Harvey Weinstein staring at her on set, though not lasciviously. HEIGHT : 5ft 5. Sharp-eyed viewers will remember that Rakie also appeared in The Pact season 1. Rakie has had roles in Shetland, Silent Witness, Midsomer Murders and No Offence, as well as Hollywood films The i Inside and Sahara. She explains: "The role of Viola didn't sit that well with me for some reason but Olivia makes more sense. [21] She has a collection of Troll dolls which she keeps under her bath. Bill Alexander was director. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Emmerdale spoilers tonight: Paddy says goodbye as he plans to end his own life, I am Madeleine McCann girl has taken DNA test and thinks she could be another missing girl, I am Madeleine McCann girl Julia Wandelt on dream come true as she shares news, Prince Harry news: Duke stunned by very final and cruel punishment from royal family, Karen Hauer declares were going to need a creche amid exciting Strictly baby news, Mystery fianc of Carol Kirkwood revealed as they look cosy on night out, Dancing On Ice: Siva Kaneswaran fights back tears as he reveals Tom Parker tribute this weekend, Lorraine Kelly fires back at rude and judgemental troll who mocked her appearance, This Morning: Warning for Holly and Phillip as show advised to switch up presenting roster, Ant and Decs Saturday Night Takeaway hit by hundreds of Ofcom complaints over insensitive prank on first-time dad, Good Morning Britain: Susanna Reid forced to make last-minute change to racy outfit, Katie Price shows off the results of her biggest-ever boob job in tiny white crop top, Jeremy Clarkson dealt new blow after Meghan furore over Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Catherine, Princess of Wales pays subtle nod to Queen and Princess Diana as she stuns in red today. Ayola's first major television role was in the ITV drama Soldier Soldier, in which she starred throughout its third series in 1993 as soldier's wife Bernie Roberts. Rakie Ayola Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Husband, Net Worth, Family. In 2001, she became a presenter of the BBC Wales arts programme Double Yellow, alongside poet Owen Sheers and performance artist Mark Rees. Contents: 2020s: 2023 2022 2021 2020 2010s: 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 The series begins after four employees decide to play a prank on their controlling boss. Rakie Ayola also starred in one of 2020s most heart-rending TV shows. She was approached about returning to the show in a more permanent role by BBC casting director Julie Harkin. She was raised by her mother's cousin and his wife in Ely, Cardiff. ", "Welsh homes: Ideal for luxuriating and relaxing", "Evil Genius 2: World Domination Emma Gameplay Trailer (Feat. She states of this: Shakespeare keeps coming my way. But behind her smile and no-nonsense manner is a web of secrets. This industry has never been easy for Ayola; her transition from Cardiff to London had in some ways mired her career. In the summer of 1992, having moved to Elephant and Castle, she remembers auditioning for Beeban Kidrons drama Great Moments in Aviation, which she starred in alongside John Hurt, Jonathan Pryce and Vanessa Redgrave. Ayola studied at Windsor Clive Primary and Glan Ely High School, and was a member of the Orbit Youth Theatre, South Glamorgan Youth Theatre, South Glamorgan Youth Choir and the National Youth Theatre of Wales. How old is Rakie Ayola? The Pact series 2 episode 5 review five things we want to know [Spoilers], The Pact series 2 episode 4 review: five burning questions we need answered, The Pact series 2 episode 3 review: five burning questions after that wedding, The Pact star Rakie Ayola praised over reaction to loaded question on BBC Breakfast, The Pact series 2 episode 2 review: five things we need to know, The Pact series 2 episode 1 review: Five burning questions we want answering. Ayola began her career in the theatre, performing in a number of Shakespearean plays including Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. Rakie Ayola held a dream of winning a Bafta for 43 years and won the 2021 best supporting actress prize for her role as Gee Walker in BBC's Anthony (Picture: Backgrid) Grace is based on Peter James first two books, Dead Simple and Looking Good Dead and follows Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. [27], From 7 February 2006 to 9 December 2008, Ayola starred in BBC medical drama Holby City as nurse Kyla Tyson. The drama was based on the real-life 2005 murder of Anthony Walker in a racist attack in Liverpool. She was raised by her mothers cousin and his wife in Ely, Cardiff. Then The Pact was recommissioned (for another series) so I thought I wouldnt hear from him for a year! I made the decision purely because I was pregnant, but I wasn't really ready to put down the character of Kyla. When she took the award and went offstage, she crouched on the floor and sobbed, thinking about her mother, who had died at the age she now was. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. "[36] She believes that her career would have taken her in a different direction were she not Black, stating: "I could not have played any of the roles I have played on TV if I was white [] I am very aware of where the glass ceiling is and it's still very low and expectations are still very low". In the first series, which saw a group of women dump their evil bosss body in the woods, Rakie played DS Holland. I just want fairness. Her first acting role was for the Welsh Eisteddfod when still at primary school, playing a lady-in-waiting at the court of King Arthur. [8] She went on to appear in Gone With the Wind sequel Scarlett,[7] and star in Welsh soap opera Tiger Bay. [3] She was raised by her mother's cousin and his wife in Ely, Cardiff. Sign up for Bustle UK's twice-weekly newsletter, featuring the latest must-watch TV, moving personal stories, and expert advice on the hottest viral buys. So, who is Rakie Ayola and what might you have seen her in? EastEnders (TV Series 1985-2022) - Rakie Ayola as Ms. French. After graduating, Ayola starred in Soldier, Soldier, Maisie Raine, and Eastenders. The actress first rose to fame when she bagged the lead of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. [] It left everyone very, very miserable, and very dispirited, and it made me angry. She received Honourable Mention for the same role the following year, and was shortlisted again in 2008. Thanks to the internet, Rakie Ayola can pinpoint the exact moment that she knew she wanted a career in showbusiness: 8.15pm on 19 December 1976. "[44] She placed 40th in 2008, with the Western Mail noting: "the last 15 years have only seen Rakie become more beautiful and more successful". EastEnders (TV Series 1985-2022) - Rakie Ayola as Ms. French - IMDb EastEnders (1985-2022) Rakie Ayola: Ms. French It looks like we don't have any photos or quotes yet. This is a list of characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, ordered by the year in which they made their final appearance. In 2005, WalesOnline voted Ayola the 29th sexiest woman in Wales, saying of her: One of our favourite thesps, shes black, beautiful and the term yummy mummy should have been made for her. She placed 40th in 2008, with the Western Mail noting: the last 15 years have only seen Rakie become more beautiful and more successful. So, how much is Rakie Ayola worth at the age of 53 years old? Ayola credits her chemistry with co-star Akim Mogaji, who played her on-screen husband Luke Roberts, for winning her her audition. [18], Ayola's other notable television appearances include the BBC psychological thriller Green-Eyed Monster (2001),[19] soap opera EastEnders (2001),[20] Waking the Dead (2001), London's Burning (2001),[21] Offenders (2002),[22] Murder in Mind (2003), The Canterbury Tales (2003) and Sea of Souls (2004). The synopsis reads: "Grace is fixated by the disappearance of his beloved wife, Sandy, which haunts his thoughts. She has loved Streisand ever since, even writing to Jimll Fix It asking Jimmy Savile to arrange a meeting. After a series of three meetings, a year after the birth of her first child, she agreed to assume the role of Kyla, despite being nervous about signing such a long contract, stating: Ive been someone whos loved the uncertainty of acting. Rakie Ayola as new character Christine in The Pact series 2 The actress stars in The Pact series 2 as the matriarch of the Rees family. Between 2003 and 2008 she starred in Holby City and played Olivia Lennox in season five of Shetland. The show's writer Pete has spoken about the importance of the location. [11] The pair married in May 2004, and Ayola gave birth to their first daughter, Tansy, in July that year. This is a list of characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, ordered by the year in which they made their final appearance. Played by Aneurin Barnard. From 7 February 2006 to 9 December 2008, Ayola starred in BBC medical drama Holby City as nurse Kyla Tyson. For a full list of present characters, see list of characters from EastEnders . Throughout her career, Ayola has been outspoken on the subject of racial discrimination in the entertainment industry. Ayolas first film appearance was in the 1993 film Great Moments in Aviation, written by Jeanette Winterson, in which she starred alongside Jonathan Pryce and John Hurt. The 90-minute film imagined how Anthonys life would have been if hed lived. Describing her motivation, she states: I am not an overtly political person. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1897d5e9d97ba1 [46] You suddenly realise youre doing exactly the thing they asked of you even though you didnt plan to. T hanks to the internet, Rakie Ayola can pinpoint the exact moment that she knew she wanted a career in showbusiness: 8.15pm on 19 December 1976. Can you list the top facts and stats about Rakie Ayola? So why is she back in the new role? That was when, as confirmed by the BBC listings. Ayola was born in London but raised by her mothers cousin in Wales. Variety magazines David Rooney said of her performance: In the films most naturalistic turn, Ayola is a constant pleasure to watch. Your IP: Shes one of those women. The pair married in May 2004, and Ayola gave birth to their first daughter, Tansy, in July that year. . We have a mix of boys and girls, one character whos mixed-raced and deaf but were not going to be restrained by any of that. In 2001, Ayola founded a production company and directed a short film entitled Persephones Playground. They met again two years later, during a production of Twelfth Night, and went on to become a couple. If I'm going to be a working mum I'd rather just be one rather than be one intermittently. This is a list of characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, ordered by the year in which they made their final appearance. Its a cause very close to Ayolas heart, as Vanity Fair reports, her eldest daughter, Tansy, was diagnosed with incurable neurofibromatosis type one when she was eight. TV lovers will recognise Rakie for her role in BBC medical drama Holby City as nurse Kyla Tyson. Ayola attributes her ability to carry these roles with such emotional high stakes, whether fictional or biographical, to the dramatic vein she found at drama school: I dont know why, I seem to be able to breathe life into these women whove got this tragic story, all this grief and loss. She also refers to the death of her adoptive mother, Olive, when she was 14, as a moment that has perhaps allowed her to access those depths of grief. When shes not acting Ayola spends a lot of time advocating for the Childhood Tumour Trust (CTT). For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for List of former EastEnders characters. Read More: Line of Duty season 6: When will the new series air, who is in the cast and is there a trailer? Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayola (born May 1968) is a Welsh actress, best known for her role as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City. That introduced me to the very vibrant amateur scene in Cardiff; I auditioned for anything I was eligible for.. I'm very sorry to have to let her go. I decided at 16 I wanted to make my living acting, but even if I couldn't, Id be in an amateur theatre company. [35] The project, however, was largely unsuccessful, with Ayola stating: "it just made me decide that if there's anything I don't want to do, it's produce films, because I'm rubbish at it. Rakie Ayola was born on 11 May 1968 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. Played by Rakie Ayola. [12] Ayola often speaks of her pride in her Welsh upbringing,[49] describing herself as "an Ely girl through and through". [] Also, I have to say that Double Yellow was nominated for a Bafta Cymru award. In 2008, she starred in the Doctor Who episode Midnight, playing an intergalactic Hostess alongside David Tennants Tenth Doctor. Born in Wales of Nigerian descent, actress Rakie Ayola is a familiar presence on British television. I learned later that he really didnt want me to get the job. Ayola. In her latest role, Ayola plays DS Holland, the senior detective investigating the death of Jack Holland. We had fantastic editors, sound people, camera people, and the directors were all amazing. The BBC drama sees Ayola, who has lived in London since the 1990s, return to Wales, where she was brought up on a council estate in Cardiff by her Sierra Leonean birth mothers cousin and his Welsh wife. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. Rakie Ayola is a voice actor known for voicing Zalika. For a full list of present characters, see list of characters from EastEnders. This dramatic vein pulses in her role in the upcoming second series of The Pact. Watching Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly on TV as a child made Rakie want to take up acting. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Ayola was nominated and shortlisted for the Female Performance in TV award in the 2006 Screen Nation Awards, for her role as Kyla Tyson in Holby City. Following youth theatre and amateur dramatics, she studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. [] The one time I was asked to play a Welsh character on screen was in Tiger Bay for BBC Wales, but I know if that series had been called Radyr Park or Cyncoed Close I wouldn't have been in it". She went on to play troubled nurse Kyla Tyson in Holby City from 2006-8, who endured domestic violence and alcoholism. She worked as a chambermaid whilst attending drama school, and, six weeks prior to graduation, was offered a job with the Made in Wales theatre company which enabled her to obtain her union card. More permanent role by BBC casting director Julie Harkin characters past and present in the films most turn! Rakie was born on 11 May 1968, making her 52-years-old a lot of time advocating for the same the! Directed a short film entitled Persephones Playground Hello, rakie ayola eastenders character on TV as a child made Rakie want take! Jack Holland this industry has never been easy for Ayola ; her transition from Cardiff London. 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