Ionica Adriana

Ionica Adriana is a British actress and TV presenter who is a regular voice on BBC Leeds, Yorkshire Cast, and BBC Look North. An experienced and captivating figure in popular media, Ionica is a brilliant speaker who has hosted a multitude of events, including film festivals, dance conferences, radio shows, and television programmes. 

Born in Romania, Ionica spent the first two years of her life in an orphanage before being adopted by English parents and taken to Yorkshire, where she would go on to pursue a career in the spotlight. In 2008, she was accepted for and trained at East 15 Acting School, building on her performing arts and stage combat skills. From there, Ionica landed the role of Anna in Spritial Phantoma and appeared in Splitting the Bill. In 2018, she presented the Arts & Culture Show on BBC Radio York before becoming a judge on BBC’s All Together Now, working alongside Rob Beckett and Geri Horner, as well as hosting BBC Countryfile Live. Over the next few years, Ionica acted in The Syndicate, Humbly Selfish, and starred in the acclaimed Coronation Street as Julie Prescott. In 2022, she fronted the BBC Radio 4 Documentary ‘Ceaușescu’s Children’, in which Ionica returned to Romania to explore her own past, whilst uncovering the barbaric truth behind Ceaușescu’s orphanages. In 2024, she hosted season one of CANDID, whilst also appearing on Celebrity Pointless to raise money for the Actors' Benevolent Fund and The Stroke Association. Her most recent acting appearances saw her feature in Smoggie Queens and as Scoop’s PA in the short film, Schadenfreude.

As a result of her incredible career, Ionica was awarded Best Emerging Actress at the International Achievement Recognition Awards and has been nominated for Best Female Solo Artist and the NEA Choice Award at the National Entertainment Awards. She has been featured across a range of media and magazines, such as Best, Yorkshire Life, Absolutely Yorkshire, The Daily Mail, BBC History Magazine, as well as shows like Who Do You Think You Are and BBC Women’s Hour. 

Alongside hosting the world’s biggest dance convention ‘MOVE IT’, Ionica is a patron of the Hull Performance Academy, further expanding her influential reach in performance, arts, and culture. With confidence, clarity, and authenticity, Ionica is an inspirational voice for those from unconventional backgrounds and aspirational creatives. Sharing her grit, determination, and appreciation of hard work, Ionica shares her tales from the media industry, from her humble beginnings in acting to her biggest, most memorable roles.