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Episode 1

We Are Black and British Series 1
Episode 1 of 2

Six black Britons share personal experiences of school, encounters with police and coming out as gay to the black community, with differences often proving explosive.

Six black Britons from very different backgrounds and viewpoints are coming together under one roof at a time when race and racism in the UK have sparked a nationwide discussion about what needs to change. They grapple with tough, unsettling and emotional questions about being black and British in search of a way forward. Each of them has a deeply personal story to share about an event that proved to be a seismic moment in their life. They confront their differences, hoping to find answers from each other and from those who are trying to change Britain.

Kicking off the discussions is 23-year-old political commentator Dominique from Manchester. Her experience of being excluded from school prompts a heated discussion about whether or not it's the school's fault when black children fail. Black children are one of the groups most likely to be excluded, and in GCSEs they perform below the national average. To find out more, the group visit a south London school which puts race and racism at the heart of the curriculum.

Security guard and mum of two Michelle raises the issue of stop and search after her teenage son was searched when he was knocked off his scooter by a car. With young black men in London 18 times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people, the group look for a way forward to resolve long-standing tensions between the police and black communities. They also meet a controversial community action group who are taking matters into their own hands when it comes to keeping their local neighbourhood safe.

Finally, 22-year-old drill rapper Mista Strange wants to confront one of the black community's biggest taboos. His experience of coming out as gay led to online abuse. He asks the group why it's particularly hard to come out as a gay black man, a question that proves explosive and emotional, and pushes relationships to the brink.

7 months left to watch

59 minutes

Last on

Thu 10 Mar 2022 00:40
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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:20

    Ghostpoet

    Survive It

  • 00:27

    Wiley

    From The Outside

  • 00:32

    VV Brown

    Travelling Like The Light

  • 00:34

    Amy Winehouse

    Love Is A Losing Game

  • 00:34

    Wiley

    No Skylarking

  • 00:36

    Stereo MCs

    Deliverance

  • 00:37

    VV Brown

    I Love You

  • 00:52

    Ghostpoet

    Nothing In The Way

  • 00:42

    Stereo MCs

    Deep Down And Dirty

  • 00:57

    Anna Ternheim

    What Have I Done

Credits

Series Producer Becky Clarke
Executive Producer Narinder Minhas
Executive Producer Maxine Watson
Production Company Cardiff Productions

Broadcasts

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