Ade Adepitan takes up baton from Sir Lenny Henry as Chancellor at university

Television presenter, journalist, disability campaigner and Paralympic medallist Ade Adepitan will succeed Sir Lenny Henry as the new Chancellor of Birmingham City University (BCU).

The 51-year-old, who was a member of the Great Britain wheelchair basketball team that won bronze at the 2004 Games in Athens, will take up his new position at an event at The Grand Hotel in Birmingham this evening.

He has presented programmes and documentaries for a number of broadcasters, including the BBC and Channel 4, and also co-presented the BBC’s Children in Need appeal and has appeared in episodes of Casualty.

He was also the lead actor in CBBC’s classic children’s drama Desperados.

He received an MBE for services to disability sport in 2005 and continues to support a number of charities, including Go Kids Go, which he is patron of.

Born in Nigeria, he contracted polio at the age of 15 months, which ultimately left him unable to walk and at the age of three years, he moved to the UK with his mother to join his father in London.

He said: “It’s an honour to be taking over from the legendary Sir Lenny Henry, who has always been a hero of mine.

“I’m extremely passionate about the power of education to uplift people from working class backgrounds and minority groups, so this feels like a dream appointment.

“I’m also looking forward to becoming fluent in Brummie before the end of my tenure.”

BCU vice-chancellor Professor David Mba said: “Anyone who has ever met Ade will see his enormous passion for education and for inclusion.

“This is a brilliant appointment for BCU. With our shared values, vision and dynamism, I am looking forward to working with him, the board, and the rest of the university’s leadership team to make BCU a place where everyone can thrive.”

Anita Bhalla, chair of BCU’s board of governors, said: “It was always going to be a challenge to replace Sir Lenny, who has been such a wonderful and charismatic Chancellor for BCU.

"Fantastically with Ade, we believe we've made the perfect choice.

“He will bring a new perspective to the role and will be a tremendous asset to the university, to Birmingham, and to the West Midlands. I’m excited to welcome him to BCU.”

Ade replaces Sir Lenny, who steps down as Chancellor after joining the university in 2016.

The 68-year-old broadcaster, comedian, actor and writer will remain involved with BCU through the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity.

The actor, comedian, television presenter and writer became Chancellor in 2016 with the initial intention of fulfilling a five-year term but found his time at the university so rewarding he extended his tenure.

Sir Lenny said: “I’ve watched this university change the landscape of this city and the lives of thousands of talented young people.

“It’s been a privilege representing an institution that’s given hope and opportunity to many who have had to overcome financial and social hardship - and I know there are transformative times ahead for a place that has become very special to me.”

Sir Lenny proved to be a perfect fit for BCU, as together they celebrated and campaigned for issues close to their hearts.

This included their support for the city of Birmingham, a belief in the importance of creative arts, and the need to provide transformational opportunities for young people from a wide range of backgrounds.

Among Sir Lenny’s most notable achievements at BCU was the co-founding of the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity in 2020.