Extraordinary Portraits: Adebanji Alade paints the Edwards Family

Tonight’s episode of Extraordinary Portraits sees Adebanji Alade painting the Edwards family.

Host Bill Bailey returns this evening (14 August) for a brand new episode from the third series of the BBC One show.

In the fifth episode, undertaking a monumental task, Adebanji Alade, the President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, embarks on the challenge of portraying the Edwards family.

For generations, the Edwards family has been an integral part of the NHS’s history, with their dedication spanning almost as long as the institution itself. Beginning with grandmother Bea, who arrived in the UK as a member of the Windrush generation and served as a health worker, the legacy continues with her daughter Gerrie, a devoted matron of 36 years.

Gerrie’s commitment inspired her entire family to join the NHS: her husband Calvin pursued a career as a mental health nurse at 49, while their three daughters, Rhishana, Brianna, and Samara, all contribute to the Nottinghamshire healthcare system.

Rhishana excels in recruitment, Brianna serves as a paediatric critical care nurse, and Samara, the youngest, is pursuing a nursing education.

To truly honor this remarkable family, Bill Bailey has paired them with Adebanji Alade, the London-born artist raised in Nigeria, who also holds the prestigious role of President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters.

No stranger to crafting monumental artworks, Adebanji faces an extraordinary challenge as he endeavors to capture the Edwards family’s unwavering dedication to caring for others, a commitment that mirrors the NHS’s enduring legacy.

Extraordinary Portraits airs at 8:30PM on BBC One and iPlayer.