Battle for the LIMELIGHT

DÉJA J. BOWENS and MALCOLM KAMULETE on playing sibling musicians searching for stardom

- TESS LAMACRAFT

CHAMPION

SATURDAY, 9.15PM, BBC1 

DRAMA (BOX SET, BBC iPLAYER)

The bitter rivalry between two siblings is at the heart of BBC1’s new musical drama Champion.

The first TV project for Candice Carty-Williams, author of best-selling novel Queenie, the eight-part series is set in south London and follows rap sensation Bosco Champion (Top Boy star Malcolm Kamulete), who comes home from prison ready to dominate the music scene once more.

However, when his dutiful sister, Vita (newcomer Déja J. Bowen), is talent-spotted by his rival and starts to eclipse her brother’s star, the whole Champion clan is divided over where their loyalties lie.

TV Times caught up with Déja and Malcolm to get their take on the heady tale…

How did you feel to land leading roles in this drama?

DÉJA It was amazing – this is my first TV acting role. I felt so many connections to Vita that I thought, ‘This role is going to be mine!’ We are a similar age and from the same place in south London, and there are also parallels with Vita not feeling so confident within herself and then flourishing.