Extraordinary Portraits | BBC

Extraordinary Portraits is a six-part series starting on Monday 28 February* 2022 that sees musician and passionate collector of art Tinie (formerly known as Tinie Tempah) match members of the public with extraordinary stories to a selection of distinctive and celebrated portrait artists. The artists are then challenged to turn these personal and powerful experiences into compelling portraits.

Tinie says: “I wanted to put a spotlight on contemporary British heroes; to hear their stories and help create an opportunity where the world can learn about them and their experience through art. Portraits are powerful, and a great way of achieving this, but historically they have been reserved for ‘high society’.

"When a portrait of mine went into the National Portrait Gallery I remember the immense pride, inclusion and acknowledgement I felt. It was unquantifiable - it made me feel like I was part of a change in the narrative, and so I hope the extraordinary people I have met making Extraordinary Portraits feel the same way.”

"It has been a great pleasure to be part of this and to paint my subjects which I'll now reveal, as it's already been widely reported in the press, are Twins Melissa and Georgia Laurie who were involved in a near-fatal crocodile attack in Mexico last year. I was so fortunate to be asked to paint them and their working with me after everything they've been through involved such trust on the part of Melissa and Georgia, it was a privilege, they are an inspiration in the way they've shown such courage in overcoming an immense challenge and determination to re-shape their story" Roxana Halls

I hope you'll enjoy seeing something of the process behind the portrait we made together.