Eku Edewor (born: 18 December 1986; Age: 37) is a British-Nigerian multi-talented entertainer who has recorded success as an actress, model, TV presenter, and producer. She is most notable for her roles in British and Nigerian films such as Your Excellency (2019), Flower Girl (2013), and Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010); and as a presenter on MNET African Magic.
Eku’s career has equally landed her space as Britain’s Next Top Model contestant, co-host on Channel O Africa Music Video Awards, a 53 Extra host, and Big Brother Africa Live Red Carpet Show host. Here are other details to know about her.
Summary of Eku Edewor’s Bio
- Full name: Georgina Chloe Eku Edewor-Thorley
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: 18 December 1986
- Eku Edewor’s Age: 37 years old
- Ethnicity: Mixed
- Nationality: British-Nigerian
- Zodiac Sign: Sagitarrius
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Single
- Eku’s Children: 1 (daughter, Olanna)
- Parents: Juliana Edewor (mother) and Hugh Thorley (father)
- Siblings: Not less than 3 (Kessiana Thorley (twin), Giles, Roberta “and Bertie” Elizabeth)
- Eku Edewor’s Height in Inches: 5 feet 8 inches
- Height in Centimetres: 172.7 centimeters
- Eku Edewor’s Net worth: over $1 million (estimation)
- Famous for: acting and TV hosting on Africa Magic
- Instagram: @ekuedewor
- Twitter: @EkuEdewor
- Facebook: Eku Edewor
- Education: St. Saviour’s Scholl and Grange School Lagos, Benenden School for Girls, England; Warwick University in Coventry, UK; and New York Film Academy, New York
She Was Born in England and Was Also Raised in Lagos
Eku was born Georgina Chloe Eku Edewor-Thorley on 18 December 1986 in London, United Kingdom as a twin. She was born in London, England to a British father and a Nigerian mother. She traces her maternal ancestral home to Delta State and was named by her paternal grandfather after her mother’s hometown “Eku” in Delta.
Edewor was raised in both Lagos and London by her parents and lived her early life away from fame, but recounts it to be fun. She lived in Lagos until she was about 13 years old before moving to the UK. Speaking in an interview, she revealed that she attended schools in both Nigeria and England.
In Lagos, she went to St. Saviour’s Scholl and Grange School. Back in the United Kingdom, Eku attended a boarding school at the Benenden School for Girls – the same school that English actors such as Imogen Boorman, Georgina Cookson, Ellie Kendrick, and Rachel Weisz attended.
To further her studies, the actress attended Warwick University in Coventry where she studied English Literature and Theater Studies. She then graduated in 2008 at the time she was about 26 years old.
Furthermore, she moved to the United States where she studied at the New York Film Academy.
Meet Eku Edewor’s Parents, Twin, and Other Siblings
Eku Edowor’s parents are a Briton father named Hugh Thorley and a Nigerian mother named Juliana Edewor. Her father worked in the food and beverage supply as well as logistics industries and has kept his life away from the media, but supports his daughter and sometimes attends her functions.
On the other hand, the actress’ mother, Juliana, is an interior designer, fashion enthusiast, restaurateur, and art collector who hails from the Delta State in the south-south geopolitical zone in Nigeria.
At a young age, her parents divorced and both of them settled to be married to other partners. Her stepfather was a Lagosian businessman, Peter Thomas, who died in 2010, thereby contributing to why Eku relocated to Nigeria.
With respect to her siblings, Eku’s twin is named Kessiana Thorley Odunsi. She is an interior designer, and fashion and marketing consultant. Kessiana got married to a Nigerian businessman named Jide Odunsi in 2020. The couple share a child at the time of this writing.
Eku’s other siblings are her oldest sibling, a brother named Giles. Her sister is Roberta “Bertie” Elizabeth Jesson who also keeps her life private but is a yoga teacher. The entertainer shares a close relationship with her siblings even though she reveals that she does not get to spend much time with them since they live out of Lagos.
Eku Edewor Started Her Career When She Joined Britain’s Next Top Model
In 2006 while she was undergoing her tertiary education, Eku joined the contestants of season 2 of Britain’s Next Top Model as Georgina Edewor-Thorley. However, she was evicted along the line and had to return to school to write her exams.
Despite the mark she made on the reality TV show, the actress did not take professional modeling as a career in her later life. She revealed that although fashion and modeling have been a part of her since she was growing up, she later realized that it was not as dynamic and dramatic as she envisioned. Hence, she had a rethink.
This has rather not stopped her from being stylish. In fact, she is considered one of the most fashionable presenters in Nigeria.
She Also Worked at a Restuarant Before She Became a Presenter
Edewor moved to Nigeria from the UK in 2010 after the death of her stepfather, Peter. A few months later, she attended an open audition for co-presenter on 53 Extra which was previously known as Studio 53 Extra. The show airs on M-NET on DSTV’s Africa Magic. It focuses on topics ranging from music, fashion, music, celebrities, and red-carpet events from different parts of Africa.
Prior to that, Eku did not have plans to venture into TV presenting. Yet, this career became her stepping stone into the diversified and competitive Nigerian entertainment industry.
Working on the 53 Extra show, she has interviewed entertainers such as Nigerian descent American rapper Wale, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Nigerian singer Banky W.
She Has Hosted Several Shows in Africa
The British Nigerian entertainer has landed several roles as a host on notable shows within and outside of Nigeria. She has hosted shows such as:
- 53 Extra (from 2010)
- Big Brother Africa Live Red Carpet Show (2010)
- Pepsi Top Ten Music Countdown (from 2012)
- Channel O Africa Music Video Awards (2014)
For her role as a presenter, the London-born actress was nominated for TV Presenter of the Year (Pepsi Top Ten Live Show, Africa Magic) by ELOY Awards (2014).
She Started Her Acting Career in the UK
Eku started acting in the UK and continued in the United States before she returned to Nigeria and started another phase of her acting career. While in the UK and the US, she appeared in theater productions.
Subsequently, she got a job as a production assistant to British Independent film producer Damian Jones. This led to her working with DJ Films Ltd. from 2008 to 2009.
In 2010, she made an appearance in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. The film is a biography of English musician Ian Dury and it features actors such as Andy Serkis, Naomie Harris, Ray Winstone, and Olivia Williams.
Eku’s role in the film was that of a Party Girl.
How Eku Edewor Rose to Fame in the Nigerian Movie Industry as an Actress and Producer
In 2012, 2 years after Edewor moved to Nigeria, she featured in a web series, How She Left My Brother. This marked the beginning of her journey as an actor in Nigeria.
A year after, she made an appearance in the Nigerian romantic comedy, Flower Girl. The film is about a shy florist who reaches out to push her boyfriend to propose marriage and it features Eku as Sapphire. Other notable actors in the movie are Damilola Adegbite, Angela Adiele, Chris Attoh, and Blossom Chukwujekwu.
In 2014, at the time she was about 28 years old, the actress appeared in When Love Comes Around. Since then, she continually avails herself to play challenging and diversified roles. She has shared the stage with actors including Shaffy Bello, Osas Ighodaro, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Ini Dima Okojie, Toni Tones, Richard Mofe Damijo, and Dakore Egbuson.
Knowing she has more to offer in the movie industry than sticking to only acting, Eku ventured into movie production. She has recorded success as a producer as well as co-producer of films.
The 37–year-old is famous for co-producing the 2022 film, The Perfect Arrangement. She is also known for producing Superstar (2021) and Charge and Bail (2021).
In addition, Eku directed an advert for UBA which features Nigerian superstar Wizkid.
List of Eku Edewor’s Movies and TV Series
- Superstar (2021)
- The Smart Money Woman (2020)
- Your Excellency (2019)
- God Calling (2019)
- Castle & Castle (2018)
- The Island (2017)
- Entreat (2016)
- Lous Lou and George (2015)
- When Love Comes Around (2014)
- Flower Girl (2013)
- How She Left My Brother (Web, 2012)
Is Eku Edewor Married?
The actress is not married at the time of this writing. However, she has reportedly been in a long-term relationship with an Igbo businessman named Chini Odugwu. He is the son of wealthy businessman Sunny Odugwu and on his own, Chini is the CEO of Wellbrook Studio. He is into photography.
Their relationship reached the public as a rumor and in November 2016, they welcomed a daughter, Olanna at a hospital in London. According to the Flower Girl actress, she happily co-parents her child with Chini.