The 80s was a time of deep tension and transformation for the Black community in Britain. Tragic events such as the New Cross Fire and the lack of response from the police showed that the institutions that were supposed to protect the community were not working in service of us. The Brixton riots led to a catalyst for change as a public enquiry was commissioned that stated that racial disadvantage was a current fact of British life.
Following the public enquiry, for the first time Black people became leaders of councils, politicians and community activists, were given the opportunity to authentically tell our stories on television, both in front of the camera and behind, and this was spearheaded by the formation of Channel 4.
During this time Lenny Henry was progressing within the TV industry, starring in pioneering shows such as The Fosters which was the first British television sitcom to feature an entirely Black cast, yet behind the scenes there wasn’t a single person of colour.
In 1982 Channel 4 was created to shake things up in the TV world, with a specific remit to stimulate the UK’s independent production sector, champion diversity, and take creative risks. One of the ways they championed diversity was through their Multicultural unit which was run by Indian born writer Farrukh Dhondy for 13 years.
In this episode we hear Farukh’s story; how he went from being a part of the Race Today collective, to writing plays to becoming the Commissioning Editor of the Multicultural Unit at Channel 4, spending £8M a year on groundbreaking programmes such as The Bandung File and Desmond’s.
Then, Now, Next traces seven decades of Black British life on screen, shaped by the people who made it both in front of and behind the camera.
Host Annika Allen Gray (All3Media's Head of Diversity) talks to the presenters, producers and commissioners, who fought for space on the small screen, and the ones now building their own platforms instead of waiting for a green light. Each episode moves through a different chapter: the fight to be seen, the fight to be heard, and the fight to own the story.
You can watch the interviews with the contributors in full in the Black Leaders in TV YouTube Channel.
For more information visit blackleadersintv.com/ and follow us on Instagram @blackleadersintv
Then, Now, Next is funded by the Royal Television Society's Shiers Trust Award.
Hosted by Annika Allen Gray (@annikaallen) and produced by Leanne Alie (@leannealie).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
