Jocelyn Jee Esien (born 7 May 1974) is a British comedian, actress and writer of Nigerian origin.[1] She stars in the hidden-camera show 3 Non-Blondes, and her own comedy sketch show, Little Miss Jocelyn.[2]
Jocelyn Jee Esien | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 May 1974 |
| Nationality | British |
| Television | 3 Non-Blondes Little Miss Jocelyn |
Life and career
editEsien was born on 7 May 1974 in Hackney, London,[3][1] to Nigerian parents. She attended Raine's Foundation School,[4] and initially studied law before giving up to study drama, graduating from Guildhall School of Music and Drama.[1] She came to prominence in 2003 in the BBC hidden-camera show 3 Non-Blondes, having also appeared in other television series such as The Fast Show and The Bill.[5] In 2006 she wrote and starred in her own comedy sketch show called Little Miss Jocelyn, a second series of which aired in January 2008. This show marks the first time in the history of television – in either the US or the UK – that a black woman has been given her own solo comedy sketch show.[6]
In 2000, Esien won the Best Newcomer award at the Black International Comedy Awards,[7] and she won a New Talent Award in the Women in Film and Television Awards 2006.[5]
In 2007, Esien featured in Girls Aloud and Sugababes' Comic Relief video for "Walk This Way",[8] where she puts a parking ticket on Ewen Macintosh, a reference to the character Jiffy from the show Little Miss Jocelyn.
Esien appeared in the second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures as Clyde Langer's mother, Carla.[9] In 2010, Esien reprised the role in two further episodes of the show, titled The Empty Planet and aired on 1 and 2 November 2010, as well as in the fifth series story, The Curse of Clyde Langer, which aired on 10 and 11 October 2011.
On 11 June 2009, it was stated that Little Miss Jocelyn would not be brought back for a third series. In November 2009, Esien played the part of waitress Cindie Smith in the ITV series Collision. From 2009 to 2012 she starred in three series of Beauty of Britain, a comedy drama on BBC Radio 4. On 22 September 2010, Esien returned to BBC Three for One Non-Blonde: Down Under, an eight-part comedy stunt show with new character creations. She plays characters such as a hermaphrodite rapper and a socialite, touring New Zealand.[10] She also appeared alongside famous British comedians in BBC One's Ronnie Corbett Christmas special, The One Ronnie.
In 2011, Esien appeared as Tasha in British comedy Anuvahood.[11] and also in the BBC Three coming-of-age comedy series Some Girls.[12]
In January and February 2013, she appeared in One Monkey Don't Stop No Show by the American playwright Don Evans,[2] at the Tricycle Theatre, a London premiere for the play,[13][14] and thereafter toured with the play nationally.[15]
In 2013, she appeared in Gangsta Granny as Kelly.
Esien's other TV appearances include Autumn Leaves, a BBC comedy-drama; Some Girls, Uncle Max, After You've Gone, Holby City, The Lenny Henry Show, Ed Stone Is Dead, Comedy Nation, The Fast Show, Douglas, The Bill and In The Name of Love (TV movie). She has also made numerous stage appearances.[16]
She appeared in the 2010 film StreetDance 3D and wrote an episode of the American reality TV show Jon & Kate Plus 8.[17]
She also appeared in the BBC comedy Big School as Headmistress Ms Baron's (Frances de la Tour) personal assistant and secretary named Daphne, from 2013 to 2014.
Esien appeared in a cameo role as a PCSO in the long running BBC sitcom "Not Going Out" on 15 April 2022.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie | Nigerian TV Presenter | 2016 |
| Anuvahood | Tasha | 2011 |
| StreetDance 3D | Delilah (Shawna's boss) | 2010 |
| The Hustle | Other Chloe (a pub girl) | (2019) |
TV
edit| Title | Role | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not Going Out | Police Woman | 2022 | |
| Death in Paradise | Zelda Moncrief | 2021 | Christmas special episode |
| Turn Up Charlie | Aunty Lydia | 2019 | |
| The Midnight Gang | Tootsie | 2018 | BBC adaptation of David Walliams' book of the same name. |
| Upstart Crow | Lucy | 2017-2018 | Series regular |
| Big School | Daphne | 2013-2014 | Series regular |
| Gangsta Granny | Kelly | 2013 | TV movie |
| The Revolting World of Stanley Brown | Olivia | 2012 | Series regular |
| Some Girls | Martine | 2012, 2014 | Series 1, episode 5, Series 3 episode 1 |
| The Sarah Jane Adventures | Carla Langer | 2008-2011 | 5 episodes |
| The One Ronnie | Restaurant Diner | 2010 | TV movie |
| 1 Non Blonde | Didio/Titchy/Pammy | 2010 | Writer/director/producer |
| Collision | Cindie Smith | 2009 | TV mini-series |
| Uncle Max | Diva | 2008 | episode: "Uncle Max Goes to the Opera" |
| Jon & Kate Plus 8 | Herself | 2008 | Writer, episode: "Potty Training the Boys" |
| Little Miss Jocelyn | Various | 2006-2008 | Writer |
| After You've Gone | Lucy | 2007 | episode: "Stuck in the Middle with You" |
| Strictly Confidential | Chantelle Rimmington | 2006 | Series 1, episode 2 |
| Holby City | Trace Smith | 2005 | episode: "No Pain No Gain" |
| The Lenny Henry Show | Herself | 2004 | Writer |
| In the Name of Love | Rachel | 1999 | TV movie |
| Babymother | Yvette | 1998 | TV movie |
| The Bill | Millie Densmore | 1998 | episode: "One of the Gang" |
| The Fast Show | Jocelyn Esien | 1997 | Series 3, episode 6 |
References
edit- ^ a b c Kate Copstick (27 August 2006). "Jocelyn Jee Esien: Non blonde goes solo". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
- ^ a b Laura Barnett, "Jocelyn Jee Esien: 'Whenever I see standup now, I get excited'", The Observer, 6 January 2013.
- ^ "Jocelyn A Jee Esien". FreeBMD. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "The Old Raineians' Association - Famous Personalities from Raine's Foundation School". Archived from the original on 16 June 2008.
- ^ a b "Jocelyn Jee Esien at United Agents". Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
- ^ Brian Logan (9 September 2006). "Little Miss Britney". The Guardian. London.
It's taken 50 years of telly, and finally it's happened: Jocelyn Jee Esien has become the first black woman, in either the UK or the US, to have her own sketch show on the small screen.
- ^ "Inspiring Women". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
- ^ "Red Nose Day – Walk This Way". Archived from the original on 11 August 2008.
- ^ "Outpost Gallifrey: Doctor Who News Page". Archived from the original on 18 June 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2008.
- ^ Clip from One Non-Blonde: Down Under, BBC Three.
- ^ Anuvahood at IMDb.
- ^ Some Girls, Episode 5, BBC.
- ^ "One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show" (trailer) Archived 15 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Tricycle Theatre. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- ^ Siobhan Murphy and Keith Watson, "Jocelyn Jee Esien: I like my characters to be organic", Metro, 10 January 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- ^ Hazelann Williams, "One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show: UK Tour - Jocelyn Jee Esien stars in new play", Young Voices, 13 September 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- ^ "Jocelyn Jee Esien - Writer Performer" Archived 27 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, United Artists. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- ^ "Jocelyn Jee Esien", IMDb. Retrieved 29 December 2010.