Ashley Banjo
Encyclopedia
Ashley Banjo is an English street dance
r and actor
. He is the leader of the dance troupe Diversity
, who won the third series
of Britain's Got Talent
. Banjo is also currently a judge on Got to Dance'", which he is currently filming a new Got To Dance which will be series 2.
n father, Funso Banjo, who was a professional boxer
and English mother Danielle, a former professional dancer, who also helps with Diversity's management, and running Danceworks Studios. Banjo was studying physics
and biology
at Queen Mary, University of London
. Banjo has been in a four year relationship with Francesca Abbott, who is a member of another dance troupe called Out of the Shadows. He says that education comes first for him and he wants to be a scientist.
. He was given the nickname 'Chosen' by his fellow Diversity
friends. In their first year together, they won the Street Dance Weekend 2007 competition before deciding to enter Britain's Got Talent
.
of Britain's Got Talent
. All the judges heavily praised their performances throughout the competition, with Ashley's choreography being described by Amanda Holden
as "genius". In the final, judge Simon Cowell
said "If I was going to give marks on that, that is the only performance tonight I would give a 10 to." about their winning performance.
After receiving "yes" votes from all three judges in their audition, Diversity went on to compete in the first semi-final on 24 May, losing the public vote-decided first place to Susan Boyle
but winning the judges' vote against Natalie Okri. In the final six days later, Diversity were announced as the winners, beating Boyle and Julian Smith
(who came second and third respectively).
As winners of the competition, Diversity received £100,000 (around £9,900 per member) went on to perform before Queen Elizabeth
at the Royal Variety Show on 7 December 2009. Subsequently, Diversity was nominated in the Dance section of the final South Bank Show
awards and won an award at the Pride of Britain Awards
On the latest tour he pulled a ligament in his leg which made him unable to perform on the last two shows of Diversity's Christmas tour.
Street dance
Street dance, more formally known as vernacular dance, is an umbrella term used to describe dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, raves, and nightclubs, etc...
r and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is the leader of the dance troupe Diversity
Diversity (dance troupe)
Diversity are an English street dance troupe based in London. They are best known for winning the third series of Britain's Got Talent, famously beating Susan Boyle in the live final. They also won the Families United Positive Role Models at the Spirit of London Awards. The group, initially known...
, who won the third series
Britain's Got Talent (series 3)
The 2009 series of Britain's Got Talent was the third series of the programme. It began airing on ITV on 11 April. The 2009 panel of judges consisted of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan...
of Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
. Banjo is also currently a judge on Got to Dance'", which he is currently filming a new Got To Dance which will be series 2.
Personal life
He was born to a NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n father, Funso Banjo, who was a professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and English mother Danielle, a former professional dancer, who also helps with Diversity's management, and running Danceworks Studios. Banjo was studying physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
at Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. Banjo has been in a four year relationship with Francesca Abbott, who is a member of another dance troupe called Out of the Shadows. He says that education comes first for him and he wants to be a scientist.
Diversity
In 2007, Ashley and his younger brother Jordan formed Swift Moves with nine of their friends, before later changing their name to DiversityDiversity (dance troupe)
Diversity are an English street dance troupe based in London. They are best known for winning the third series of Britain's Got Talent, famously beating Susan Boyle in the live final. They also won the Families United Positive Role Models at the Spirit of London Awards. The group, initially known...
. He was given the nickname 'Chosen' by his fellow Diversity
Diversity (dance troupe)
Diversity are an English street dance troupe based in London. They are best known for winning the third series of Britain's Got Talent, famously beating Susan Boyle in the live final. They also won the Families United Positive Role Models at the Spirit of London Awards. The group, initially known...
friends. In their first year together, they won the Street Dance Weekend 2007 competition before deciding to enter Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
.
Britain's Got Talent
In 2009, Diversity won the third seriesBritain's Got Talent (series 3)
The 2009 series of Britain's Got Talent was the third series of the programme. It began airing on ITV on 11 April. The 2009 panel of judges consisted of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan...
of Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
. All the judges heavily praised their performances throughout the competition, with Ashley's choreography being described by Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden
Amanda Louise Holden is an English actress and presenter. Among her roles are Mia Bevan in Cutting It, Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart, and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award...
as "genius". In the final, judge Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
said "If I was going to give marks on that, that is the only performance tonight I would give a 10 to." about their winning performance.
After receiving "yes" votes from all three judges in their audition, Diversity went on to compete in the first semi-final on 24 May, losing the public vote-decided first place to Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
but winning the judges' vote against Natalie Okri. In the final six days later, Diversity were announced as the winners, beating Boyle and Julian Smith
Julian Smith (saxophonist)
Julian Smith is a British saxophonist and music teacher from Halesowen. He is also known by his stage name Joolz Gianni...
(who came second and third respectively).
As winners of the competition, Diversity received £100,000 (around £9,900 per member) went on to perform before Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
at the Royal Variety Show on 7 December 2009. Subsequently, Diversity was nominated in the Dance section of the final South Bank Show
The South Bank Show
The South Bank Show was a television arts magazine show, originally made by London Weekend Television , presented by Melvyn Bragg, broadcast on ITV and seen in over 60 countries worldwide — including Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States...
awards and won an award at the Pride of Britain Awards
Pride of Britain Awards
The Pride of Britain Awards is an annual event in the United Kingdom, honouring ordinary people who have acted bravely or extraordinarily in challenging situations....
On the latest tour he pulled a ligament in his leg which made him unable to perform on the last two shows of Diversity's Christmas tour.
Filmography
| Year | Programme | Role | Role Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | StreetDance 3D StreetDance 3D StreetDance 3D is a British dance film which was released on 21 May 2010. The film was released in RealD 3D, XpanD 3D, and Dolby 3D with Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini directing it. Britain's Got Talent stars George Sampson, Diversity and Flawless made their debut appearances to the big screen... |
Aaron | Leader of Aaron's Crew |
| 2011 | The Real Hustle The Real Hustle The Real Hustle is a BBC television series made by Objective Productions and written by Alexis Conran and Paul Wilson. The show demonstrates confidence and magic tricks, distraction scams and proposition bets performed on members of the public by presenters Conran, Wilson and Jessica-Jane Clement... |
Himself | |
| 2011 | The Apprentice The Apprentice The Apprentice is a television franchise which originated in 2004 in the United States. As originally conceived, the show depicted 16 contestants from around the country with various backgrounds competing in an elimination-style competition to become an apprentice to Donald Trump... |
Himself | Guest Appearence |