Shaheen Jafargholi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shaheen Jafargholi
Jafargholi in 2016
Born	(1997-01-23) 23 January 1997 (age 28) Swansea, Wales
Education	Mark Jermin Stage School
Occupation	Actor singer
Years active	2004–present
Television	Lost Boys and Fairies Wreck Britain's Got Talent EastEnders Casualty
Musical career
Genres	Pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Island Beady Eye Grinnin'

Shaheen Jafargholi (born 23 January 1997) is a talented Welsh actor and singer. He became well-known in 2009 after appearing on the TV show Britain's Got Talent. He finished in seventh place on the ITV competition.

Since then, Shaheen has starred in several popular TV series. He played Shakil Kazemi in EastEnders from 2016 to 2018. Later, he joined Casualty as Marty Kirkby, a role he played from 2018 to 2023. He also appeared in the horror comedy Wreck in 2023 and the miniseries Lost Boys and Fairies in 2024.

Shaheen's Early Life

Shaheen Jafargholi was born on January 23, 1997. His birthplace was Singleton Hospital in Swansea, Wales. His mother, Karen Thomas, is Welsh, and his father is Iranian.

Shaheen's Acting Journey

Starting as a Child Actor

Shaheen began acting at a young age. In 2009, he played Troy in the children's TV show Grandpa in My Pocket. He also appeared in an episode of Torchwood called "Greeks Bearing Gifts". In this episode, he played a character named Danny.

He also had a role in the medical drama Casualty. He played Christy Skinner, a patient with unusual hiccups. Shaheen even toured on stage as a young Michael Jackson in the show Thriller – Live.

Shaheen also performed in other stage productions. These included Macbeth, The King and I, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He also played the Genie in a play of Aladdin. He appeared in some films too, like Mine All Mine and A Way of Life. He also did commercials for companies like Delta Air Lines and Debenhams.

His Time on Britain's Got Talent

In 2009, Shaheen took part in Britain's Got Talent. During his first audition, he started singing "Valerie". One of the judges, Simon Cowell, stopped him. Simon felt the song wasn't right for Shaheen.

Simon then asked Shaheen to sing another song. After a short pause, Shaheen sang "Who's Lovin' You" by Smokey Robinson. This performance was a huge hit! The audience and judges loved it and gave him a standing ovation.

Some people wondered if Shaheen should be on the show because he had acted before. A spokesperson for the show explained that Britain's Got Talent is open to everyone. They said Shaheen's past acting didn't change his place on the show.

After his audition, Shaheen even got to host a one-hour show on his local radio station, Bay Radio. He picked his favorite songs and shared his experiences.

For the semi-final, Shaheen sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the musical Dreamgirls. He made it to the final on May 30, 2009. In the final, he sang "Who's Lovin' You" again. He received another standing ovation and finished in 6th place.

After Britain's Got Talent

After the show, Shaheen continued to perform. In September 2009, he sang "I'll Be There" at the MOBO Awards. This was part of a tribute to Michael Jackson. A month later, he performed "Who's Lovin' You" on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

He also sang at the BBC Children in Need Gala in Cardiff. He performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as well. Shaheen also joined the Britain's Got Talent tour. He sang "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5 with dancers.

Singing for Michael Jackson

One of Shaheen's most memorable performances was at Michael Jackson's memorial service. This was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Shaheen sang "Who's Lovin' You" as a musical tribute. He had actually been invited to perform with Michael Jackson in his "This Is It" concerts in London.

After Shaheen's performance, Larry King asked Motown founder Berry Gordy, "Who is that?". Berry Gordy was very impressed. He reportedly said he would sign Shaheen if he were still in the music business.

Shaheen's Adult Acting Roles

In 2014, Shaheen played the Genie in the pantomime Aladdin. In May 2016, he joined the cast of the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. He played the character Shakil Kazemi. His character was sadly killed off in May 2018 in a storyline about knife crime.

On August 1, 2018, it was announced that Shaheen had joined Casualty. He played nurse Marty Kirkby. He was on the show for five years, with his last appearance on March 18, 2023.

Shaheen's Filmography

Here are some of the TV shows Shaheen Jafargholi has appeared in:

Shaheen's Music

Albums

Shaheen has released music, including an album.

Single

He also released a single.

Awards and Nominations

Shaheen has been recognized for his acting work.

See also

In Spanish: Shaheen Jafargholi para niños