Gina Yashere

Gina Yashere

Date of birth: 06-04-1974
Born in Bethnal Green, East London, to a Nigerian family, Gina Yashere turned to comedy after working as a lift engineer.

She made her Edinburgh debut in 1995, and in 2000 completed her first stand-up tour, and has been regularly on the road ever since.

Her first TV exposure was as a regular on the BBC Two comedy show Blouse and Skirt (originally called The A Force) in 1996. Other TV credits Live at Jongleurs, The Comedy Store, Jo Brand's Hot Potatoes and talking heads shows such as the I Love...series for BBC Two. In 2001, she briefly hosted a BBC Choice chat show, Up Late With Gina Yashere and she provided the voice of Keisha Marie in the Channel 4 animated series Bromwell High

In 2007, she took part in the NBC reality show Last Comic Standing, giving her a foothold in the US. In 2008, she became the first British comic to appear on the influential black stand-up show Def Comedy Jam.

She has also branched out into acting, appearing in the films Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Mr In-Between, as well as in the West End show The Vagina Monologues.

She was named best female at the Black Comedy Awards in 2002, and nominated as best female stand-up in the Chortle awards the same year.

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Bob Hearts Abishola lands a fifth series

Gina Yashere's US sitcom recommissioned by CBS

Bob Hearts Abishola – the US sitcom co-created by British stand-up Gina Yashere – has been renewed for a fifth series.

The news comes as the fourth season is still airing on CBS, averaging just under 7million viewers a week.

The comedy – which launched in 2019 – revolves around a middle-aged white businessman who unexpectedly fell for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant, while recovering from a heart attack.

Yashere co-created the series with sitcom king Chuck Lorre, the man behind Two And A Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly and more –  alongside Al Higgins and Eddie Gorodetsky.

The stand-up us also one of the executive producers on the series and plays Kemi, Abishola's best friend.

She said: ‘I arrived in America 16 years ago with two suitcases and a dream. Think we can safely say, my dream has become a reality.

‘I couldn't have done this without the wonderful people behind the scenes who bring that vision to life, and you, the people who watch and support. Season 5 here we come!’

The series stars Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku in the title roles.

Meanwhile, Yashere’s memoirs, Cack-Handed - first published in 2021 – will be released in paperback in May. Review - and can be pre-ordered from Waterstones or Amazon at £9.99.

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Published: 29 Jan 2023

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Agent

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