Floella Benjamin is an actress, author, singer, television presenter and businesswoman. She was introduced to the House of Lords by the Liberal Democrats with the title of Baroness Benjamin, of Beckenham in the County of Kent.

In 1970, Floella made appearances in West End shows including ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, ‘The Black Mikado,’ and ‘The Husband in Law.’ In 1976, Floella switched to television presenting and made a mark in the industry with the BBC’s children programs like ‘Play School’ and ‘Playaway’. In 1997, she published a book, ‘Coming to England’ which highlighted her negative experiences on racism. Floella has also written several books for children.

In 2001, Floella was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services because of her appearances on television. In addition, she received a BAFTA Special Achievement Lifetime Award for her contribution to television. In 2006, she was awarded the degree of Hon D.Litt (Exon) by the University of Exeter for contributions to the life of the United Kingdom.