Percelle Ascott
Percelle Ascott (born 10 June 1993) is a British actor, writer, and producer of Zimbabwean origin, best known for his leading roles in television series such as the CBBC fantasy show Wizards vs. Aliens (2012–2014), the E4 drama Youngers (2013–2014), and Netflix's supernatural romance The Innocents (2018), as well as the thriller I Came By (2022).[1][2][3] Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Ascott moved to London with his family at the age of three and grew up in a two-bedroom apartment in South London alongside his mother, aunt, and cousins.[3][4] His early interest in acting emerged at age 11, when he portrayed Mowgli in a school production of The Jungle Book, an experience that sparked his passion for performance.[3][5] Ascott honed his skills at the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon, where he trained in acting and met future collaborator Joivan Wade; his drama teacher from Woodcote High School had encouraged his entry into the prestigious institution at age 16.[6][5] Following his training, he debuted on screen in the 2010 BBC TV movie Excluded and gained prominence with guest roles in BBC's Silent Witness (2012) and Doctor Who (2018).[1][6] In addition to acting, Ascott has built a multifaceted career in entertainment, co-founding the YouTube comedy series Mandem on the Wall in 2011 and later establishing Wall of Entertainment (originally Wall of Comedy) in 2015 with Wade, an award-winning production and talent management company that has amassed millions of followers across platforms.[5][7] His recent credits as of 2025 include the Amazon Prime series Tin Star (2019), BBC's Domino Day: Lone Witch (2024), and the ITV drama I, Jack Wright (2025), while he continues to produce projects like the BFI-funded film The Weekend Movie and the boxing drama Stance.[7][8] Ascott's contributions to the industry have earned him recognition on the JP Morgan Powerlist of the 100 Most Influential Black Britons in 2024 and 2025.[9][10]Early life and education
Early life
Percelle Ascott was born on 10 June 1993 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, to Zimbabwean parents.[1][11] At the age of three, Ascott immigrated with his family to England, where they settled in a South London estate. He grew up in a modest two-bedroom apartment shared with his mother, aunt, cousins, amid financial challenges, as his mother worked two jobs to support the family.[3][12][13] This multicultural environment in South East London, characterized by a tight-knit community of diverse families, profoundly shaped his cultural identity, blending his Zimbabwean heritage with British influences through family stories of sacrifice and resilience.[12][13] Ascott's childhood was marked by everyday adventures on the estate, including riding bikes, playing football with neighborhood kids, and building treehouses, which fostered a sense of imagination and community.[3][12] His interest in performing arts emerged at age 11 during a primary school production of The Jungle Book, where he portrayed Mowgli; he demonstrated early aptitude by reciting other actors' lines when they forgot them, earning encouragement from his mother.[5][3][12] These experiences in local school plays sparked his passion for acting, leading eventually to formal training opportunities.[5]Education
Ascott attended local schools in South London during his early years, including Woodcote High School in Coulsdon, where he first explored acting through school plays.[5] At Woodcote, his drama teacher, Mrs. Beattie, identified his potential and supported his application to the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon, securing his enrollment at age 16.[5] From ages 16 to 18, Ascott studied acting at the BRIT School, a selective institution known for its focus on creative disciplines. During this period, he met his close collaborator and business partner Joivan Wade, and together they participated in student productions and showcases that built their foundational skills in performance and collaboration.[14][15] The BRIT School provided training in acting that played a pivotal role in developing Ascott's abilities, preparing him for professional opportunities.[3]Career
Acting career
Percelle Ascott began his professional acting career in 2010 with a role as Wayne in the BBC Two television movie Excluded, marking his on-screen debut after training at the BRIT School.[16] His breakthrough came shortly thereafter as the co-lead Benny Sherwood in the CBBC science fiction series Wizards vs. Aliens (2012–2014), where he portrayed a tech-savvy teenager aiding in the defense against alien threats, establishing him as a prominent child and teen actor in British youth programming.[17][18] As Ascott matured into young adulthood, he shifted toward more complex, supporting roles in high-profile projects, including Delph, a Uvodni leader, in the 2018 Doctor Who episode "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos."[19] That year, he took on a central role as Harry, a devoted boyfriend navigating supernatural dangers, in the Netflix series The Innocents, co-starring Sorcha Groundsell and Guy Pearce, which broadened his exposure to global audiences through the streaming platform.[20][21] Throughout his trajectory, Ascott has forged key collaborations, notably with Joivan Wade in ensemble-driven series like Youngers (2013–2014 on E4), where their on-screen chemistry as aspiring musicians highlighted his ensemble acting strengths.[5] This foundation propelled his progression to lead characters, such as the empathetic Leon in the BBC Three supernatural drama Domino Day: Lone Witch (2024), a role that underscores his growth into nuanced, romantic leads.[22] In 2025, he portrayed Reuben Maguire, a suspect's boyfriend entangled in family intrigue, in the Alibi crime series I, Jack Wright, and starred in the short film Gone Clear as a lead role in a drama about family dynamics.[23][24] These BBC and Netflix engagements have significantly elevated his international profile, transitioning him from youthful supporting parts to commanding leads in diverse narratives.[5]Writing and production career
Percelle Ascott began his writing and production career in collaboration with Joivan Wade and Dee Kartier, co-creating the YouTube comedy sketch series Mandem on the Wall in 2011. The series, which they collectively wrote and starred in, centered on three young friends and their interactions at a local wall, amassing over 2.5 million online views by 2013.[25] It evolved from independent web content into commissioned work for Channel 4, including eight bonus sketches tied to the drama series Youngers, and expanded to a live stage show at the Hackney Empire.[5] Ascott also co-directed episodes of the series, contributing to its raw portrayal of urban youth culture and taboo topics through humor.[26] In 2015, Ascott co-founded Wall of Comedy with Wade and Kartier, establishing Europe's largest online media network at the time, which focused on viral comedy sketches and addressed underrepresented voices in British media.[5] The company grew rapidly, commissioning multiple YouTube series and achieving over 7.5 million global viewers, while Ascott balanced production duties with his acting commitments. By the early 2020s, it had rebranded and expanded into Wall of Entertainment and Wall of Productions, a multifaceted outfit specializing in television, film, and digital content production with a team of around 20 members, including managing director Tafara Makopa.[14] Under Wall of Productions, Ascott served as co-founder and executive producer on high-profile projects, including promotional content for major streaming platforms. In 2022, the company was recommissioned by Netflix to produce a second episode of the interactive companion series What Would You Do? for Stranger Things Season 4, Chapter 2, featuring influencers like Yung Filly and Harry Pinero re-enacting key scenes; the episode launched on Netflix's YouTube and social channels.[27] Additional credits include campaigns for Netflix's Resident Evil and Top End Wedding, as well as development deals with Channel 4 and Amazon Prime, emphasizing talent nurturing in the creator economy through online-to-traditional media transitions.[14] Ascott has also written for independent short films, co-authoring the script for Joy (2020), a charity drama produced by Wall of Productions about a single mother's struggles in London, directed by Sheila Nortley and supported by Universal Music to raise awareness for youth at risk of knife crime.[28] His production work has earned recognition, including New Voice Awards at the 2022 Edinburgh TV Festival, highlighting Wall of Productions' impact on diverse storytelling in television and digital spaces.[14]Personal life
Family
Ascott was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, to Zimbabwean parents and relocated to England at the age of three with his family, where he grew up in South London.[12][3] His parents separated during his early childhood, and he was raised primarily by his mother, who worked two jobs to support him and his siblings in a shared two-bedroom apartment with relatives.[3][13][29] Ascott has two younger sisters from his mother's side and three half-brothers from his father's side.[29] His mother's perseverance profoundly influenced his career choices, serving as his primary role model and the person to whom he attributes much of his success in the entertainment industry.[30][3] This familial support, rooted in Zimbabwean heritage, has also shaped his cultural identity as a British-Zimbabwean, informing his perspective on resilience and opportunity.[30][31] In 2023, Ascott welcomed his daughter, Zuri, with his partner, entering fatherhood and expanding his immediate family. In November 2024, he co-launched the YouTube podcast Fatherhood Unfiltered with Ricardo Mcleary-Campbell to discuss experiences of being a dad.[32][33]Other interests
Percelle Ascott maintains an active interest in football, regularly playing for The Wall FC on weekends as a way to stay connected to his roots in South London.[29] He has also expressed enthusiasm for dancing, describing himself as a "mover and shaker" who enjoys the energy of the dancefloor during social outings.[29] Additionally, Ascott has explored street art as a creative outlet, learning basic techniques through a crash course and adopting the tag 'P' for personal expression outside his professional commitments.[29] Reflecting his Zimbabwean-British heritage, Ascott has engaged in travel to reconnect with his African roots, including a 2022 trip to Uganda for a friend's wedding—his first visit to the continent since early childhood. He values these journeys as opportunities to honor his cultural identity amid his life in London.[29][12] As a public figure, Ascott participates in social media platforms to engage with fans and promote positive representations, though he prioritizes a low-key approach to his personal life, sharing limited details to maintain privacy.[29] He resides in South London, where he continues to draw inspiration from the area's vibrant community, balancing downtime with casual activities like gym sessions to compete in fitness challenges with friends.[5] Ascott has contributed to philanthropic causes, including supporting the UK homelessness charity Shelter through fundraising efforts in 2018 alongside fellow actor Mandip Gill.[34] In 2014, he joined a Home Office campaign targeting teenagers to prevent domestic violence, leveraging his online presence to promote awareness and education on healthy relationships.[35] He has also organized community-oriented events, such as an exclusive screening of his film I Came By in 2022 to honor his former drama teacher, Mrs. Beattie, who inspired his early interest in performing arts.[29]Recognition
Awards
In 2024, Wall of Entertainment, co-founded by Percelle Ascott alongside Joivan Wade and Tafara Makopa, received the BP plc Business of the Year Award at the Powerlist x JP Morgan Awards ceremony held on October 28 in London.[9] This accolade, organized by Powerful Media to honor Black Britons across industries, recognized the company's 12 years of innovative content creation, including over 100 original shows that amassed 12 billion views targeted at Gen Z audiences across television, film, and social media platforms.[9] The award underscored Wall of Entertainment's role in the creator economy by highlighting its Black-owned model that fosters talent-led digital storytelling and cultural relevance, thereby elevating underrepresented voices in media production.[9] Building on this momentum, Wall of Entertainment secured the Studio of the Year award at the inaugural TellyCast Digital Video Awards on June 5, 2025, along with Best Digital Game Show for its production HP's Worst In Class.[36] Out of six nominations, these wins celebrated the studio's excellence in digital video innovation, particularly in engaging formats that blend entertainment with brand partnerships, such as the Channel 4-backed game show hosted by Harry Pinero.[36] The recognition amplified the company's impact within the creator economy by validating its transition from YouTube origins to a premier digital studio, driving further growth in content distribution and talent development for emerging creators.[36] Additionally, in 2025, Wall of Entertainment won the Best Short-Form Format award for Minor Issues at the Broadcast Digital Awards.[37] Ascott's leadership in these ventures, including the earlier founding of Wall of Productions, has been instrumental in scaling such achievements.[7]Honors
In 2022, Ascott was longlisted for the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) Breakthrough Performance category for his role in the thriller I Came By.[38] Ascott has been recognized for his contributions to entertainment and business through inclusion in the JP Morgan Powerlist of the 100 Most Influential Black Britons. He was named a Powerlistee in 2024 as co-founder of Wall of Entertainment, highlighting his impact on the UK's media landscape.[39] In 2025, he received similar recognition for the second consecutive year, again noted for his entrepreneurial efforts in production and acting.[40] These honors underscore Ascott's role in promoting diversity and innovation within the British entertainment industry.[7]Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | X+Y (also known as A Brilliant Young Mind) | Ben | Morgan Matthews | Supporting role in this British drama about a young mathematician.[41][42] |
| 2016 | The Weekend | Malcolm | Sheridan De Myers | Lead role in this British comedy film.[43] |
| 2019 | The Dare | Cleveland | Giles Alderson | Role in this horror-thriller film.[44][42] |
| 2022 | I Came By | Jameel 'Jay' Agassi | Babak Anvari | Key role in this Netflix crime thriller.[45][42] |
| TBA | Inner Bull | TBA | TBA | Upcoming comedy film.[46] |
| TBA | Kukeri | TBA | TBA | Upcoming action-comedy feature film series.[47] |
Television
Percelle Ascott began his television career with recurring and leading roles in British youth-oriented series before transitioning to international streaming productions and genre dramas.| Year | Title | Role | Episodes | Network/Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Excluded | Wayne | 1 | BBC Two |
| 2012 | Silent Witness | Joel Barron | 2 | BBC One[48] |
| 2012–2014 | Wizards vs. Aliens | Benny Sherwood | 30 | CBBC[49] |
| 2013–2014 | Youngers | Yungah Baby Tinie Winie | 16 | E4[50] |
| 2018 | The Innocents | Harry | 8 | Netflix[21] |
| 2018 | Doctor Who | Delph | 1 | BBC One[51] |
| 2020 | Tin Star | Jesse | 3 | Amazon Prime Video[52] |
| 2024 | Domino Day: Lone Witch | Leon | 6 (Season 1) | BBC Three[53] |
| 2025 | I, Jack Wright | Reuben | 6 | Alibi[54] |