Lolly Adefope

Adefope was born in South London to Nigerian parents.^[1] She went to Loughborough University to study English literature.^[5][6][7] While at university, she started performing with a sketch comedy group.^[5]

After university Adefope applied to drama school but was rejected, so she began working in an office.^[8] She began her career as a stand-up comic and transitioned into acting after receiving positive attention for solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2015 and 2016.^[5] Also in 2015, she was selected for the BBC Writersroom comedy programme,^[9] and in 2016 she was nominated for two Chortle Awards.^[10][11]

As an actress, Adefope has appeared on Together, Josh, Plebs, Rovers, Sick Note, Ghosts, Miracle Workers, and Shrill. She has also participated as a guest on Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, The Last Leg, Don't Ask Me Ask Britain and QI.^[12][13] She appeared on the fourth series of the panel show Taskmaster and the 100th anniversary suffragette special of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

Shrill star and co-creator Aidy Bryant has praised Adefope's acting for "how much she can convey with just the slightest movement of her eyes."^[5] Her performance in that show introduced her to wider audiences, and she began to receive a flood of offers for new roles. As of May 2021, she was working on developing a new television show that she would also star in, as well as a podcast.^[5] In October 2021, it was announced that Adefope will be appearing in an upcoming American television series, Girls Can't Shoot (& Other Lies) based on Scarlett Curtis's anthology, Feminists Don't Wear Pink (& Other Lies).^[14]