Munya Chawawa
British-Zimbabwean actor and comedian (born 1992)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Munyaradzi Oliver Chawawa (born 29 December 1992) is a British–Zimbabwean actor, comedian and comedy rapper.
29 December 1992
Munya Chawawa | |
|---|---|
Chawawa in 2020 | |
| Born | Munyaradzi Oliver Chawawa 29 December 1992 Derby, England |
| Occupation | |
| Alma mater | University of Sheffield |
| Genre | |
Early life
Munyaradzi Oliver Chawawa[3] was born on 29 December 1992[4][5] in Derby, England,[6] and spent his childhood in Zimbabwe.[7][8] In his youth, his family returned from Zimbabwe to Framingham Pigot, a village close to Norwich in Norfolk.[1] He studied at Notre Dame High School in Norwich, where he was made head boy. He then went on to the University of Sheffield, earning a BSc degree in psychology in 2014.[7][9]
Career
Chawawa is known for his development and portrayal of characters such as a posh drill rapper called "Unknown P"[10] and the chef "Jonny Oliver".[11] Chawawa has said that he "created Unknown P as a nod towards the appropriation and false ownership of Black culture that often happens in Western societies".[12] His comedic influences are John Oliver, Andy Zaltzman and Sacha Baron Cohen.[6]
His popularity grew during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with the main focus being his 2019 Fire in the Booth freestyle, for the parody news sketches he created.[13][14] In November 2020, Atlantic Records released his first single, "Piers Morgan", as well as a Daily Duppy on GRM Daily in December. His second single, "Pain au Chocolat" was released in August 2021. He has collaborated with the likes of comedians Mo Gilligan, Michael Dapaah and musicians Unknown T (from whom he derived Unknown P), S1mba, and KSI.[15][12] In June 2022 he was announced as a contestant for the 14th series of Taskmaster, beginning in October.[16]
On 17 March 2024, Chawawa appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Bake Off Stand Up to Cancer on Channel 4.[17]
In October 2025, Chawawa founded the Black Boys Theatre Club,[18] a community-led project aimed at giving young Black men access to the opportunities in the creative arts space that may feel closed off to them. The project has invited 15 and 16 year-old boys to some of London's biggest theatres, such as the Royal National Theatre and the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Murking From Home | Various | 11 episodes | |
| Deep Issue Massage | Himself | 3 episodes | ||
| 2021 | Belly Must Go | Himself | Episode 6: Wes Nelson and Munya Chawawa | |
| Samsung Galaxy Gauntlet | Himself | 5 episodes | ||
| The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan | Himself (guest) | 1 episode | ||
| Complaints Welcome | Himself | 6 episodes | ||
| Superfan vs Super Fan | Himself | 2 episodes; host | ||
| The MOBO Awards 2021 | Himself | Host | ||
| 2021– | Race Around Britain | Himself | 5 episodes | |
| 2022 | The Sandman | Choronzon | 1 episode | |
| Taskmaster | Himself | 10 episodes | ||
| Prince Andrew: The Musical | Prince Charles | |||
| How to Survive a Dictator with Munya Chawawa | Himself | 2 episodes | ||
| 2023 | The Jonathan Ross Show | Himself | Guest | [19] |
| Would I Lie to You? | Himself | Guest | ||
| 2023–2024 | Have I Got News for You | Himself | 2 episodes; guest | |
| 2024 | 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown | Himself | Guest |