Omar Lye-fook

Known simply as Omar, Omar Lye-Fook [MBE] has for many years been one of the UK’s most celebrated British musicians. With nine albums to his credit, tours all around the world and an accumulated list of collaborators and supporters to die for – amongst then Stevie Wonder, the late Leon Ware, Erykah Badu, Common, Carleen Anderson, D’Angelo, Soul II Soul’s Caron Wheeler, Angie Stone, Courtney Pine, Rodney P, Kele LeRoc, Natasha Watts, Estelle and more.

After studying at London’s Identity Drama School Omar made his acting debut in summer 2009 when one of his IDS tutors, Ché Walker, directed him in the musical, Been So Long – Omar portraying the character of Barney. The show enjoyed successful runs at the Young Vic, London, as well as Latitude & Edinburgh Festivals.

After a period concentrating hard on his music, in 2014 Omar once again teamed up with Walker [as director], writing and starring in the acclaimed one-man stage show, Lovesong. Of his portrayal of Oscar – a musician who lives in the fast lane suddenly shaken by an unexpected love – Simon Callow commented: “Omar in Lovesong is funny, funky, touching, tender.”

The following year Omar joined the cast of BBC’s The Javone Prince Show in the role of the award-winning comedian’s testy Musical Director.

In 2016, Omar made his feature film debut as Neil in Halcyon Heights [Dir: Isla Ure] and as himself in One Crazy Thing [Dir: Amit Gupta]. In 2019, he was Marcus in Amaryllis [Dir: Thomas Lawes] and, two years on, he won roles in a pair of movies: Danny Shayler’s The Psycho List [as Kickflip] and Jane Gull’s Love Without Walls [as Mark].

Most recently, Omar strode confidently onto UK TV screens in the role of Avery Baker in the BBC soap opera Eastenders. Of his somewhat flash, besuited character he joked: “It’s just so ‘me’ – y’know, smoking a cigar, driving a Bentley, playing piano in the pub – it wasn’t much of a stretch!

Later this year/early 2023 he will star as Uncle Chuma in the ITV drama Riches, alongside Hugh Quarshie. [Director: Abby Ajayi].

Omar was awarded an M.B.E. in the 2012 Birthday Honours, for services to music.