Ade Adepitan - Black History Month 2025💫

Mary_Scope

Part One - Black History Month 2025
Part Two - Claudia Jones
Part Four - Barbara Stewart

Adedoyin Olayiwola "Ade" Adepitan MBE was born on 27th March 1973 in Lagos and moved to the United Kingdom with his parents three years later. He contracted polio when he was three which caused damage to his legs that required him to use a wheelchair as he become unable to walk.

Ade become a wheelchair basketball player and was part of the British team that won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Paralympics.

He is involved in a range of charities promoting access to sport for disabled people and in 2005 was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to disability sport. He has also been presented with an Honorary Doctorate from Loughborough University, in recognition of his outstanding services to performances in disability sport.

Ade has featured on lots of television programmes as an actor, presenter or guest and he often uses television as a platform to campaign against racism and disability discrimination.

He was one of three wheelchair basketball players featured in the 2002 BBC One ident Hip-Hop. He was one of the main presenters of the children's programme Xchange produced for CBBC (this was how I was first introduced to him!) and has appeared in EastEnders as well as making documentaries.

He was one of the main presenters on Channel 4 of the London 2012 Paralympic Games and co-presents That Paralympic Show with Rick Edwards. He was also part of the Channel 4 2014 Winter Paralympic Games and the Rio 2016 Paralympics presenting team. He has been one of the main presenters of The Travel Show since 2014.

Ade has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by the Champions Club UK for his efforts at promoting disability sport as well as for being a positive role model. He has been particularly commended for his strong and persistent message of hope within the young black disabled community.

He was presented with the Lifetime Achievement award by the University of East London in 2010 and had an Honorary Doctorate conferred by the University the same year.

Ade was included in the Powerlist of the 100 Most influential Black British people in 2020.

Rosie_Scope

I remember watching Ade on CBBC when I was younger too. His energy was always so infectious and I'm glad he's made such a successful career for himself since. Seems like a great guy ☺️

JimHazell1984

I remember him off and number of bbc television shows he even added me as a friend on Facebook but I think he just adds anyone who is disabled lol 😂

Mary_Scope

Ha that could be your claim to fame @JimHazell1984 😄

Me too @Rosie_Scope, it's always so nice to see people do well!!