Ncuti Gatwa reveals he was 'homeless' for five months before starring in Sex Education

'How many people must be going through this in London?' actor asks

Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa has revealed that he was “homeless” before landing a role in the hit Netflix show.

The Scottish actor, who plays the character Eric Effiong in the series, said that he moved from Scotland to London at the age of 21 in order to pursue a career in acting.

However, he was unable to cope with the financial burden of living in the city and ended up without a home.

“I am from Scotland and moved down to London when I was 21,” Gatwa told The Big Issue magazine.

“I was working constantly - and at some good places - I spent a year at the Globe Theatre, I did a lot of work at Kneehigh, who are a physical theatre company.”

The actor went on to explain that despite finding work he struggled to afford to keep up with paying his rent, bills and travel costs.

"I was supposed to move into a new place and it fell through. So for five months before Sex Education, I was couch-surfing among all my friends,” Gatwa explained.

“I didn't have a home. I was homeless.”

He added that the only thing stopping him from sleeping on the streets was his friends.

“But you can use up that goodwill. Or you feel scared to ask people for help. Your pride kicks in,” Gatwa said.

“So my life before Sex Education was so different. To go to my audition, I had to get my friend to transfer me 10 quid so I could top up my Oyster card.”

The actor, who recently became an ambassador for youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, said that he wondered how many people were going through the same experience.

“I was thinking it was so mad, because if someone was to see me on the street – on my way to temping at Harrods in my trench coat and brogues – because you have to be so well-polished and look the part, they would never believe I was about to spend two hours on the phone to people trying to find where I could sleep that night,” Gatwa added.

"I couldn't believe I was homeless and working in Harrods. How many people must be going through this in London?"

In a recent interview with The Independent, Gatwa said that he and his family moved to Scotland from Rwanda during the 1994 genocide, adding that they were one of “three black families in the whole of Edinburgh”.

“I was quite an easy target in a state Scottish high school,” he said.

“I grew up in a working-class area, and I stood out – for my voice, my appearance, I did dance and things like that. But I always had faith in my charm. I always had faith in my charisma.”