Let’s talk about class.

It’s the industry taboo that shapes who gets in, who gets heard, and who gets to tell stories on screen.

From commissioning to hiring, TV and film often reward who you know, not what you know. Add class into the mix, and the hurdles can feel impossible.

This panel rips open the conversation: how do we tackle the role class plays in access, opportunity and progression and do it with authenticity, nuance and maybe even a little joy?

Chanise Evans, Senior Advisor, BBC Internal Communications/ Freelance Presenter

Athena Witter, Founder, Engine Pop

Sonny Hanley, Director ITV Academy, ITV

Moderated by:

Annika Allen-Gray, Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, All3Media

Recorded live at the BeYou Festival on the 6th October 2025, Music provided by The Nerve Media Group