An Ipswich-born actor and presenter is becoming one of the UK’s fasting-rising stars.

Ricardo P Lloyd says he grew up facing a lot of hardship, including the stigma around what black masculinity looked like.

The 29-year-old artist said that he decided to fight the pressure and chose to rise above his circumstances.

This year Ricardo presented his first radio documentary, which explores the struggles and structural barriers for black people in the UK’s theatre, television and film industry.

In the documentary called ‘My Name is Ricardo P Lloyd’, the up-and-coming British actor examines his own journey, inspirations, and aspirations.

He then said: “I have been very bold in speaking up on the issues of race and representation in the industry in the UK because I felt I had no choice but to address them.

“Rather than wait until I am older and more established to speak out, I am risking my own career in the hope that it will inspire and empower future generations.

“There are many barriers I have personally faced, some known and some unknown."

Ipswich Star: Ricardo P LloydRicardo P Lloyd (Image: Ricardo P Lloyd)

The artist said that expressing himself emotionally was considered a weakness or soft by those around him.

Rather than letting those negative thoughts take over his life however, Ricardo started acting to tap into a side of himself he had never explored before.

He said: “Acting truly changed my life.”

Ricardo made his professional stage debut in 2015 in a production called Animal Farm in London.

The actor from Ipswich also played the lead role Johnny Smythe in the docudrama Flying for Britain produced by the Royal Air Force Museum.

He also starred in a short film, University Life, which was a runner-up in the BIFA Short Film Competition.

Thanks to his determination to become more than his surroundings, Ricardo is now considered one of the fastest-rising acting talents in the UK.

The Ipswich-born star is not afraid to take risks, as he is constantly looking for the next ground-breaking role.

Ricardo has already worked on several prestigious projects and has worked with Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance at Shakespeare's Globe.

Two years ago, Ricardo was listed in 2020’s top 20 in business, sport, culture and politics.

The Suffolk actor hopes that he will soon become the next big name in television and film.