Jameela Jamil
Jameela Alia Burton-Jamil (born 25 February 1986) is a British actress, radio presenter and activist. Jamil began her career as an English teacher before becoming a presenter on T4 from 2009 until 2012. Jamil became the radio host of The Official Chart, and was co-host of The Official Chart Update alongside Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1. Jamil was the first solo female presenter of the BBC Radio 1 Chart show.Following a breast cancer scare in 2016, Jamil moved to the United States to pursue a career as a screenwriter.
2009
Jamil appeared on the E4 show Music Zone towards the end of 2008. She began presenting T4 in 2009. In January 2009, Alexa Chung left the morning TV show Freshly Squeezed; Jamil succeeded her as co-host, alongside Nick Grimshaw.
2012
From 2011 to 2014 she wrote a column for Company, the women's monthly magazine. In January 2012, Jamil replaced June Sarpong as the new host of Playing It Straight, a reality show in which one woman spent time with a group of men in an attempt to discern who were gay and who were straight. In 2012, it was announced that Reggie Yates would leave BBC Radio 1 and Jamil would replace him. At the end of 2012 Jamil became the radio host of The Official Chart, and was co-host of The Official Chart Update alongside Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1. Jamil made radio history, becoming the first sole female presenter of the BBC Radio 1 Chart show.
June 2012
In June 2012, Jamil collaborated with Very to debut her first fashion collection.
2015
Late in 2015, Jamil launched Why Not People?, an events and membership company dedicated to hosting live entertainment events accessible to disabled people. In March 2018, Jamil created an Instagram account called I Weigh, inspired by a picture that she came across online of Kourtney, Kim and Khloé Kardashian with their half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, detailing each woman's weight. Jamil describes I Weigh as "a movement... for us to feel valuable and see how amazing we are, and look past the flesh on our bones". The account welcomes submissions of followers' non-edited or airbrushed selfies using the hashtag #iweigh, with text describing the things that they feel grateful for or proud of. In part due to this work, Jamil was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women during 2018.
2016
In 2016, at the age of 29 and following a breast cancer scare, Jamil left London and moved to Los Angeles, with no plans of acting, instead intending to DJ and work presenting radio shows. Her agent told her that Michael Schur, who co-created Parks and Recreation, was looking for a British actress for a new upcoming comedy series. Although Jamil had no prior acting experience at this point and was wary of auditioning, she agreed to do so. She was later recalled for a second interview, and was given the role.
September 2016
The show premiered in September 2016, with Jamil being a regular cast member of the NBC fantasy comedy series The Good Place, where she plays Tahani Al-Jamil, alongside Kristen Bell and Ted Danson. Jamil's character became known for her tendency to name drop.
2018
Jamil made her first American magazine cover on the February 2018 edition of The Cut. She provided her voice as a guest on the animated television series DuckTales. In 2018, Jamil joined the cast of Disney's Indian-inspired cartoon set in fictional Jalpur. Mira, Royal Detective is expected to air on Disney Junior channels in 2020, with Jamil playing Mira's Auntie Pushpa. In 2018, Jamil hosted a recurring segment on Last Call with Carson Daly during its final season, entitled "Wide Awake with Jameela Jamil".
2019
In 2019, Jamil auditioned for the host position of Misery Index, a show on Tru TV, alongside the Impractical Jokers.
May 2019
In May 2019, Jamil shared that she had an abortion earlier in her life. She stated, "It was the best decision I have ever made. Both for me, and for the baby I didn't want, and wasn't ready for, emotionally, psychologically and financially."
August 2019
On 2 August 2019, Jamil was awarded "Advocate of the Year" from the Ehlers-Danlos society.
September 2019
She was one of fifteen women selected to appear on the cover of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue "Forces for Change", by guest editor Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
October 2019
On 10 October 2019, as part of World Mental Health day, Jamil revealed she survived a suicide attempt six years prior as well as criticising the lack of services for those struggled. She also revealed that she sought EMDR therapy to treat her post traumatic stress disorder.
