Adrian Adepitan
Encyclopedia
Ade Adepitan MBE
(born 27 March 1973) is a British
television presenter and wheelchair basketball
player. He uses a wheelchair as a result of contracting polio
as a child which led to the loss of use of his left leg.
, Nigeria
on 27 March 1973 and has no brothers or sisters. At the age of 6 months, Adepitan contracted polio
which resulted in the loss of function of his left leg, and ultimately prevented him from walking. At the age of three, Adepitan and his mother emigrated to Newham
in London
, United Kingdom
to join his father. He was educated at Southern Road Primary School in Plaistow
, East London, which he credits with helping him with his illness and problems at home. From an early age, he had aspirations of becoming an international sportsman. He also attended Lister Community School.
player, for his club Milton Keynes Aces and as a member of Great Britain team that won the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
in Athens
and the gold medal at the 2005 Paralympic World Cup in Manchester
, United Kingdom
.
. He often uses television as a platform to campaign against racism and disability discrimination. He was one of the main presenters of the children's programme Xchange
produced for CBBC
and has appeared in the soap opera
Eastenders
. Adepitan also participated in Beyond Boundaries
which was a four part documentary in which Adepitan trekked through rainforests, deserts, rivers and mountains in Nicaragua
and he made his own video diary it was a personal account. It was first filmed in London then in Spain
. This video diary had filmed Adepitan talking in depth about his sporting aspirations and how he coped as a London boy living in Zaragoza
unable to speak any Spanish.
Charity. Adepitan travelled to Ghana in support of Comic Relief
. He will also be participating in the Disabled Motoring UK
Alps 2011 Challenge. Adepitan is also an Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play
, the world's leading sport for development charity.
(MBE) for services to disability sport in 2005. He was also presented with an Honorary Doctorate
from Loughborough University
, in recognition of his outstanding services to, and performances in, disabled sport.
He was presented with the Lifetime Achievement award by the University of East London
in 2010, and was conferred with and Honorary Doctorate by the university in November 2010.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 27 March 1973) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television presenter and wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball is basketball played by people in wheelchairs and is considered one of the major disabled sports practiced. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation is the governing body for this sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee as the sole...
player. He uses a wheelchair as a result of contracting polio
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
as a child which led to the loss of use of his left leg.
Early life
Adepitan was born in Maryland, LagosLagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
on 27 March 1973 and has no brothers or sisters. At the age of 6 months, Adepitan contracted polio
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route...
which resulted in the loss of function of his left leg, and ultimately prevented him from walking. At the age of three, Adepitan and his mother emigrated to Newham
Newham
-Places:* London Borough of Newham, England* Newham, Lincolnshire, England* Newham, Northumberland, England* Newham, Victoria, Australia-People:* Billy Newham , English cricketer* Edgar Newham, Australian rugby league footballer...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to join his father. He was educated at Southern Road Primary School in Plaistow
Plaistow
Plaistow is the name of several places in England, and the USA:in England:*Plaistow, Bromley, London*Plaistow, Derbyshire*Plaistow, Newham, London**Plaistow *Plaistow, West Sussexin the USA*Plaistow, New Hampshire...
, East London, which he credits with helping him with his illness and problems at home. From an early age, he had aspirations of becoming an international sportsman. He also attended Lister Community School.
Basketball Career
Adeptitan was an accomplished wheelchair basketballWheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball is basketball played by people in wheelchairs and is considered one of the major disabled sports practiced. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation is the governing body for this sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee as the sole...
player, for his club Milton Keynes Aces and as a member of Great Britain team that won the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and the gold medal at the 2005 Paralympic World Cup in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
TV and Media Career
Adepitan has featured on many television programmes and series as an actor, presenter or guest, particularly for the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. He often uses television as a platform to campaign against racism and disability discrimination. He was one of the main presenters of the children's programme Xchange
Xchange (TV series)
Xchange was a factual entertainment BBC television programme for children. It was broadcast initially on BBC Two and later the CBBC Channel. The programme was transmitted live from studio TC2 at BBC Television Centre...
produced for CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
and has appeared in the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Eastenders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
. Adepitan also participated in Beyond Boundaries
Beyond Boundaries
Beyond Boundaries is a documentary series produced by Diverse Bristol for BBC Two. Each series follows a team of physically disabled adventurers as they take on some of the toughest expeditions on the Planet under the guidance of ex-SAS Major Ken Hames....
which was a four part documentary in which Adepitan trekked through rainforests, deserts, rivers and mountains in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
and he made his own video diary it was a personal account. It was first filmed in London then in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. This video diary had filmed Adepitan talking in depth about his sporting aspirations and how he coped as a London boy living in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
unable to speak any Spanish.
Charity Work
Adepitan does a lot of charity work, particularly supporting many charities to help other people with physical disabilities. He is a patron to two charities called Go Kids Go (formerly known as Association of Wheelchair Children) and The Scope Charity. He is also a high supporter of the National Society of the Prevention of the Cruelty to Children Charity and the WheelPowerWheelPower
WheelPower is the national organisation for wheelchair sport in the United Kingdom, and aims to help people with disabilities improve their quality of life....
Charity. Adepitan travelled to Ghana in support of Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
. He will also be participating in the Disabled Motoring UK
Disabled motoring UK
Disabled Motoring UK is a non-governmental organization founded in the UK in 1922 and was recently known as Mobilise. It is a campaigning charity for disabled drivers, passengers, and blue badge holders in the United Kingdom...
Alps 2011 Challenge. Adepitan is also an Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play
Right to Play
Right To Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world...
, the world's leading sport for development charity.
Awards
Adepitan was made a Member of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) for services to disability sport in 2005. He was also presented with an Honorary Doctorate
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
, in recognition of his outstanding services to, and performances in, disabled sport.
He was presented with the Lifetime Achievement award by the University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
in 2010, and was conferred with and Honorary Doctorate by the university in November 2010.