Then, Now, Next

Annika Allen
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70 years of Black British television, told by the people who built it. Then, Now, Next traces seven decades of Black British life on screen; from the first Black reporter on screen, Barbara Blake Hannah and the racist caricatures of The Black and White Minstrel Show, through Channel 4's multicultural unit who had £8M to spend on Black and Asian programming, the era defining Desmond's, and the rise of Black women as commissioners and show runners, the popularity of music television, including MTV's The Lick, to the making of today's Black led shows such as Supacell and Dreaming Whilst Black. 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. Featured in this series are: Trisha Goddard, Richard Blackwood, Tamara Howe, June Sarpong, Sheila Nortley, Trevor Nelson, Shurwin Beckford, Trix Worrell, Sarah Asante and many more. The 8 episode series launches on 16th September. 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.

Episodes

  1. 21h ago

    4. Music TV; The Mobos, The Lick and Channel U

    In the 90s Black music was everywhere and was moving from the underground scene to the mainstream, all through radio the rise of music television in the UK. Music TV quickly became one of the most visible spaces for Black British culture and introduced a new generation of presenters, performers and cultural taste makers to mainstream audiences.  In this episode we pay homage to the figures that paved the way in making Black music popular in the UK. We hear from former Channel Manager of MTV Base, Shurwin Beckford and Trevor Nelson who together built MTV’s UK’s longest running RnB Show, The Lick. We hear from Rikki Bleu, founder of Since 93 Records, but back in 2004 he was managing Channel U; the TV station dedicated to UK Grime, giving Black working class sounds and experience a mainstream platform. We also pay a special tribute to the late Kayna King, founder of the Mobo Awards. 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.

  2. Sep 30

    3. Joy As Resistance: The Impact of Desmond’s

    The 80s saw a real transformation of Black representation on TV - instead of the assimilationist TV of the 70s that poked fun at ethnic minorities, Black stories were taking centre stage on the small screen and making a huge impact.  It was on his way to a pitch meeting that Trix Worrell had the idea for Desmond’s - the show they authentically represented a slice of Black British life in one of the few spaces where people could authentically be themselves: the Barber Shop,  In this episode we hear from Trix himself, the creator of Desmonds, on how he pitched the idea, working with Norman Beaton, how the show travelled to America and became a mainstream hit with 5 million viewers and 71 episodes, as well as the show’s untimely ending. We also hear from former Commissioning Editor of Channel 4’s Multicultural unit, Farrukh Dhony on why we haven’t had a Black British sitcom with the same longevity as Desmond’s since the 80s.  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.

  3. Sep 23

    2. Making Space: The Rise of Channel 4’s Multicultural Unit

    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.

  4. Sep 16

    1. Breaking Through

    The reality for the Windrush generation arriving in Britain from the 1950s was a harsh one; there was a the fight for jobs, for affordable and livable housing and basic dignity; and that hostility shaped what audiences saw on screen. For years, the only "representation" Black Britain got was The Black and White Minstrel Show, painting Black people as caricatures on prime time TV. That changed in 1968, when Barbara Blake Hannah became Britain's first Black broadcaster; until backlash from audiences pushed her off air with no apology, no compensation, nothing. In the 70s, "assimilationist" sitcoms like Love Thy Neighbour and Mind Your Language took over, built on racial slurs that feel like a different planet by today's standards. Yet that same show launched Rudolph Walker into a decades-long career, from Empire Road; the BBC's first Black-led drama, to more than 20 years in EastEnders. We also pay tribute to Sir Trevor McDonald, one of British TV's pioneering news anchor. It's proof that media doesn't just entertain; it decides who gets to belong. We pay homage to the figures that came before us then, who lead the path of those coming up now in the future. This episode contains strong language. Then, Now, Next traces seven decades of Black British life on screen; from the first Black reporter on screen, Barbara Blake Hannah and the racist caricatures of The Black and White Minstrel Show, through Channel 4's multicultural unit who had £8M to spend on Black and Asian programming, the era defining Desmond's, and the rise of Black women as commissioners and show runners, the popularity of music television, including MTV's The Lick, to the making of today's Black led shows such as Supacell and Dreaming Whilst Black. 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.

  5. Season 1 Trailer

    Welcome To Then, Now, Next

    Welcome to Then, Now, Next. The 8 part documentary series telling the story of 70 years of Black British television, told by the people who built it. The series drops on 16th September 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • 1 Trailer
    4 Episodes

Trailer

About

70 years of Black British television, told by the people who built it. Then, Now, Next traces seven decades of Black British life on screen; from the first Black reporter on screen, Barbara Blake Hannah and the racist caricatures of The Black and White Minstrel Show, through Channel 4's multicultural unit who had £8M to spend on Black and Asian programming, the era defining Desmond's, and the rise of Black women as commissioners and show runners, the popularity of music television, including MTV's The Lick, to the making of today's Black led shows such as Supacell and Dreaming Whilst Black. 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. Featured in this series are: Trisha Goddard, Richard Blackwood, Tamara Howe, June Sarpong, Sheila Nortley, Trevor Nelson, Shurwin Beckford, Trix Worrell, Sarah Asante and many more. The 8 episode series launches on 16th September. 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.

Information

  • Creator
    Annika Allen
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Annika Allen
  • Show Website
    Then, Now, Next

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