Ayo Akinwolere facts for kids

Ayo Akinwolere (born 30 November 1982) is a British TV presenter. He was also known as Andy Akinwolere.

Ayo Akinwolere's Early Life

Ayo Akinwolere was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1982. When he was eight years old, he moved to the United Kingdom with his family. They settled in Birmingham, where he went to school. His parents are doctors and work in Kidderminster.

Ayo's first language was Yoruba, which is spoken in Nigeria. He learned English when his family moved to Birmingham. He also spent some time living in Nancy, France, when he was a child.

Ayo's School Days

Ayo went to St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Harborne. Later, he attended St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Kings Norton, Birmingham.

After school, he studied at Sheffield Hallam University. He graduated in 2004 with a degree in Media Studies.

Ayo Akinwolere's TV Career

Ayo's first job was working behind the scenes as a "runner" for the BBC. He wanted to make documentaries and work in radio. However, a director from the TV show Blue Peter met him and asked him to try out for a presenting role.

Becoming a Blue Peter Presenter

Ayo started presenting Blue Peter on 28 June 2006. He was the 32nd presenter of the popular children's show. While on Blue Peter, he was nominated for two British Academy Children's Awards. These awards celebrate the best in children's TV.

In 2008, Ayo hosted Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate 50 years of Blue Peter.

World Record Swim

In June 2011, Ayo set a new world record! He swam more than five miles across the Palau Trench in the Pacific Ocean. This was the deepest open water swim ever done by a person. It was his last big challenge on Blue Peter before he left the show.

Other TV Shows and Challenges

Ayo has appeared on many other TV shows:

• In 2007, he was on Ready Steady Cook, competing against fellow presenter Konnie Huq.
• He also appeared on The Weakest Link in the same year.
• In 2011, he was a contestant on Total Wipeout but had to stop because of an injury.

Presenting and Reporting

From 2012 to 2014, Ayo co-presented Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge with Laura Hamilton. This show was also nominated for a Children's BAFTA award.

In 2012, Ayo traveled to Jamaica to interview the famous sprinter Usain Bolt. He made a documentary for the BBC about why Jamaica is so good at sprinting.

In 2013, he took part in a special series of The Great British Bake Off for Comic Relief. In 2016, he was a contestant on Celebrity Master Chef.

Since 2014, Ayo has been the main presenter of the BBC's current affairs program Inside Out for the West Midlands. He won an award for his documentary on extremism for this show. While presenting Inside Out, he started using his birth name, Ayo, again.

In 2018, he began presenting Channel 4's coverage of the European Rugby Champions Cup.

In 2020, Ayo started working for CBS Sports in the US. He presents The Golazo Show, which covers the UEFA Europa League football matches.

Ayo's Personal Life

Ayo has four siblings: three brothers and one sister. They live in the United States.

He enjoys photography and has had his pictures published in National Geographic Kids Magazine. He also loves collecting rare vinyl records and music. Ayo lives in Margate, Kent.

Ayo Akinwolere's TV Appearances

Awards and Recognition

• In 2008 and 2010, Ayo was nominated for Presenter of the Year at the BAFTA Children's Awards.
• In 2015, he won a Royal Television Society award for his Inside Out documentary about extremism.