Was the second of six children; the family moved to Britain in 1960.
Father was a jazz musician and encouraged her to perform with him in local clubs.
Left school at 16 and studied for her A-levels in night school while working as a clerk at Barclays.
Performed on stage in Jesus Christ Superstar, Black Mikado and Hair before getting the part on Play School.
Author of numerous books, including the memoir Coming to England, published in 1995.
Took up marathons as a hobby when she turned 50, and made good on her vow to run in the London Marathon for 10 consecutive years in support of children's charities.
In 2010 joined the House of Lords as a Liberal Democrat life peer and gained the title Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham in recognition of her charity work.
Floella Benjamin
September 23, 1949 (age 74)
Pointe-A-Pierre, Trinidad and Tobago
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Bio
Was the second of six children; the family moved to Britain in 1960.
Father was a jazz musician and encouraged her to perform with him in local clubs.
Left school at 16 and studied for her A-levels in night school while working as a clerk at Barclays.
Performed on stage in Jesus Christ Superstar, Black Mikado and Hair before getting the part on Play School.
Author of numerous books, including the memoir Coming to England, published in 1995.
Took up marathons as a hobby when she turned 50, and made good on her vow to run in the London Marathon for 10 consecutive years in support of children's charities.
In 2010 joined the House of Lords as a Liberal Democrat life peer and gained the title Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham in recognition of her charity work.