Black British actors such as Luther’s Idris Elba and 12 Years a Slave’s Chiwetel Ejiofor may be making waves internationally but Lenny Henry doesn’t think British TV is moving with the times. The comedian gave a talk at Bafta HQ in Piccadilly last night on ethnic diversity in the workforce.
Going through slides of programmes including Miranda and Broadchurch, he noted the lack of black actors. “At the moment there’s as much chance of seeing Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi on All Star Mr and Mrs as seeing a black person on those programmes,” he opined.
Henry, who has found success as a serious actor in recent years, complimented the BBC for a massive increase in regional diversity (“It’s as big as Sally Bercow’s drinks bill,” he joked) but said that many Americans have further to go in recognising him.
When he tells our US cousins that he works in British TV, they ask if he played the black jazz singer in Downton Abbey.
“I say I’m a servant so far down the stairs that by the time he gets up the stairs the TV show has finished.”
