David Ajao, Macarena Gómez to Receive Fellowships From Rose Bruford College

Rose Bruford College has named actors and alumni David Ajao and Macarena Gómez as its 2026 Fellows, alongside Honorary Fellows Ola Labib, Jennifer Sims and Kim Tatum. The six will be honoured during four graduation ceremonies at Holy Trinity Lamorbey in Sidcup on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 September 2026.

The awards recognise outstanding alumni achievement and wider contributions to performance, storytelling, creative education, representation and the College community.

Professor Randall Whittaker, Principal and CEO of Rose Bruford College, said, "One of the great joys of working in a creative institution is seeing how many different ways people make their mark. The six individuals we are recognising this year have taken very different routes, but all have shown extraordinary commitment to their craft, their communities and the power of creativity to connect people.

As our graduates prepare to step into an ever-changing creative landscape, I hope they will take inspiration from these examples. There is no single definition of success, and no single route to achieving it. What matters is staying curious, embracing opportunity and having the courage to shape your own future.

We are proud to welcome back alumni David Ajao and Macarena Gómez as Fellows, and Ola Labib, Jennifer Sims and Kim Tatum as Honorary Fellows, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements together with our graduating class, their supporters and the entire Rose Bruford community."

David Ajao

David Ajao is a British actor and Rose Bruford College alumnus whose body of work spans theatre, television and film. He has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearing in productions including As You Like It, Measure for Measure and Othello. His screen credits include Holby City, Sunny D, Not Going Out and Mammoth.

Alongside his acting career, Ajao is also an accomplished writer and script editor, with credits including The Big Breakfast, Slim's Guide to Life and Stupid Central.

Ajao reflected: “I'm deeply grateful to receive a Fellowship from Rose Bruford College. It feels very full circle. This was the place where I began to understand not just what kind of performer I wanted to be, but what kind of artist I could become.”

Macarena Gómez

Since making her acting debut over 25 years ago, Rose Bruford College alumna Macarena Gómez has appeared in nearly 100 film, television and theatre productions. She has received almost 50 awards and nominations, including a Goya Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in Shrew's Nest.

For 17 seasons, she has been one of the lead actors in La que se avecina, one of the most successful television series ever produced in Spain. More recently, she starred alongside Paul Giamatti in the HBO series 30 Coins, marking her return to working with director Álex de la Iglesia following Witching & Bitching (Las brujas de Zugarramurdi).

She also appeared in Holy Family, a Netflix series that reached the Top 10 most-watched programmes in more than 50 countries, and in the horror film Deep Fear (Netflix), directed by Marcus Adams and co-starring Ed Westwick.

Macarena Gómez stated that: “Receiving this Fellowship from Rose Bruford College is an enormous honour. When I arrived here from Spain in 1996, I came with a suitcase full of dreams, excitement and absolutely no idea what the future would hold. This place changed my life, both professionally and personally. It gave me the training, friendships and resilience that have stayed with me throughout my career. I'm deeply proud to return to Rose Bruford College and to be part of its family, and I hope today's graduates will protect their imagination, stay curious and remember that there is no such thing as an overnight success.”

Ola Labib

Ola Labib is an acclaimed comedian and one of the fastest-rising names in British comedy. Best known for her infectious charm, edgy comedy material and wry humour, her engaging stories draw on her experiences growing up in a strict Islamic and traditional African household, with her father cited as her biggest comedy hero.

At the start of 2022, she was named by ITalkTelly as one of 'The Top 22 TV stars to keep an eye on'. She has since supported Mo Gilligan at the O2 Arena and amassed an impressive list of television credits, appearing in World's Most Dangerous Roads (Dave), Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Dave), Comedy Central Live (Comedy Central), The Emily Atack Show (ITV) and Richard Osman's House of Games (BBC).

In 2024, Labib completed her first sold-out tour run for her debut show pOLArising and announced her first scripted project with Channel 4, The Pharmacy, released in 2025 to critical acclaim and viral success.

She shared: "I'm truly honoured to be receiving an Honorary Fellowship from Rose Bruford College. Growing up, I rarely saw people who looked like me represented in the performing arts, and for a long time that made a career in this industry feel out of reach. But with a lot of self-belief, determination and hard work, I made the unlikely journey from studying and working in pharmacy to becoming a comedian, writer and, more recently, a published author.

“I hope my story reminds students that there is no single route into the creative industries. Your career may take unexpected turns, and the skills, resilience and experiences you gain along the way can open doors you never imagined possible. Sometimes the path that seems unconventional is the one that leads you exactly where you're meant to be.

“I'm incredibly proud to receive this recognition and deeply grateful to be welcomed into the Rose Bruford College community. I hope this honour encourages the next generation of creatives to believe in themselves, embrace their own journey and know that there is space for their voice in this industry."

Jennifer Sims

Jennifer Sims is the former Chair of the Board of Trustees at Rose Bruford College. Her distinguished career in further education included senior leadership positions across the country, including ten years as Principal of John Ruskin College in Croydon, where she led the organisation through a period of development and growth.

A passionate advocate for widening participation and educational inclusion, Sims pioneered new vocational pathways into the arts, including the development of the first BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts. She also established partnerships between education, local authorities and community organisations to create new opportunities for those facing barriers to participation.

Jennifer Sims will be conferred as an Honorary Fellow of Rose Bruford College in recognition of her outstanding contribution to education, widening participation and the performing arts.

Jennifer Sims acknowledged that: “It has been a privilege to contribute to the development of Rose Bruford College, first as a Governor and latterly as Chair of the Board. I am immensely proud to receive this Honorary Fellowship and to be recognised by an institution that plays such an important role in nurturing the next generation of artists and making a lasting contribution to the performing arts.”

Kim Tatum

Kim Tatum, also known as Mzz Kimberley, is a performer, producer and advocate. Originally from the United States, she trained at the City Lit Institute in London and the New York Academy of Theatre Arts.

She is the founder of Mzz Kimberley's LIFE, a trans, non-binary and intersex-led production company that creates theatre, fashion and panel events to amplify marginalised voices and build platforms for the trans community.

On stage, she has performed at The National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, Edinburgh Festival and the Barbican, where she appeared in TRANSPOSE in 2022. Her screen credits include ITV's Cold Feet, BBC's EastEnders and the bilingual musical-comedy series The Finellis.

In 2020, she presented the LGBTQ+ Champion award at the Black British Theatre Awards, broadcast on Sky Arts. She is Patron of CliniQ, ambassador for ParaPride and Patron of AIDS Memorial UK, and was included in the 2020 and 2021 LGBT Power Lists.

Kim Tatum said: “I never imagined I would one day receive such a prestigious honour, and from a school as esteemed as Rose Bruford College. This recognition is one of the most extraordinary gifts.

I have watched our industry evolve – slowly, unevenly, but undeniably. For many years, the doors were firmly closed to the trans community. Yet I held onto my dream with both hands and kept going. There is still a long way to go for marginalised people, but honours like this remind me that progress is possible, and that perseverance can carve out space where none existed before.

My journey has been long and often difficult, but I have continued to walk the path I believe was meant for me. I have experienced highs and lows. I have performed in Wonderful Productions and in challenging ones, learning from every misstep. Acting became my refuge, my escape, my way of imagining a world where I belonged.

I will be forever grateful to the College for this honour and for truly seeing me. There are moments in life when you feel invisible, and this fellowship has done wonders for my spirit and my belief in the power of storytelling.”

The Fellowships and Honorary Fellowships will be conferred during Rose Bruford College's graduation ceremonies at Holy Trinity Lamorbey, Sidcup, on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 September 2026.

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