Stoke Newington actor with learning disability wins TV role on Doctors

Two actors with learning disabilities impressed BBC casting directors so much they will be appearing on a popular daytime TV show next week.

Dayo Koleosho, 27, and 43-year-old Yvonne Swift, travelled to Birmingham to film an episode of Doctors.

It’s not the first time that Mr Koleosho, of Farleigh Road, Stoke Newington, has graced the small screen; last year he played a role in another BBC medical drama, Holby City.

Both actors attend the Access All Areas theatre group in Hoxton Street, which is a charity that runs a theatre project for adults with learning disabilities.

Mr Koleosho and Ms Swift, who lives in Islington, will be playing a couple called Michael and Becky – and they even had to share their very first on-screen kiss.

Mr Koleosho, whose character is a mechanic, told the Gazette: “I had to kiss Yvonne. At first I thought ‘oh no’, but you just have to get on with it.

“I really enjoyed filming, but I’ll be honest – it was hard work. We were filming for two days. I’m absolutely looking forward to watching it on television – I’m going to watch it with my family.”

The theatre group’s artistic director, Nick Llewellyn, said: “This is an exciting stage in our development for Access All Areas. With recent cuts in funding to the voluntary sector, Hackney needs a thriving arts project to empower those people with learning disabilities to speak up, change, grow and gain employment through the arts.”

Doctors will be screened at 1.40pm on Thursday, July 7. For more information about Access All Areas, call 020 7012 1760.