TV & Film
Netflix removes League of Gentlemen and Mighty Boosh over blackface controversy
Many programmes have been removed.
Several programmes have been axed from streaming services due to white actors using blackface in a number of episodes and films.
Blackface is the term used to describe theatrical makeup by white people to represent – usually insultingly – a caricature of a black person. It is a term that finds its origins in the US.
It demonstrates a long, deeply rooted and painful history found within racial ideologies that underpin transatlantic slavery.
It was created in a time when black people did not have the same rights as white people and were denied citizenship as an excuse to justify state violence. This meant that Black people were not allowed to be seen on stage due to their skin colour.
Blackface is often thought of as an old relic from the 1800s but there are many cases of modern 21st century TV programs still using it.
In the light of the resurgence of the BLM movement, critics have called for shows that depict blackface which are still on streaming services to be removed because it does little to combat racism.
Although in many cases it’s widely agreed the individual wearing blackface does not intend racism, it still causes harm through ignorance.
The League of Gentlemen and The Mighty Boosh are the latest shows to be removed from Netflix due to their use of blackface, the Guardian reports.
Little Britain has also been removed from Netflix, Britbox and BBC iPlayer due to the use of blackface in some of the sketches of the show.
Come Fly With Me, also from Matt Lucas and David Walliams, has also been axed.
“There’s a lot of historical programming available on BBC iPlayer, which we regularly review,” a spokesperson from the BBC said, adding: “Times have changed since Little Britain first aired so it is not currently available on BBC iPlayer.”
Matt Lucas has previously admitted that Little Britain ‘aged terribly’, stressing that if the comedy was ever renewed, he would never play a black character again.
Gone With the Wind, an American civil war romance, positively depicts slavery and has since been removed from HBO Max where it was previously streamable.
Channel 4 has removed Bo Selecta from its All4 streaming service and Leigh Francis, the comedian who played many black celebrities in the programme, such as Craig David and Trisha Goddard, has apologised for using blackface.
Ant and Dec have also issued an apology for a segment of Saturday Night Takeaway in 2003 where they impersonated people from other ethnic backgrounds using blackface.
Despite the concept of blackface starting by white entertainers mimicking black people for entertainment purposes, many people are arguing that the programmes are ‘old’ and removing them from streaming services ‘takes away our right to choose’.
One Twitter user put: ‘The censorship of comedy – a favourite hobby in Hitler’s Germany – continues. Weary face Little Britain removed from BBC iPlayer, Netflix and BritBox due to use of blackface.”
It has caused much debate in the public, with one Twitter user explaining the issue thus: “Nobody is going on BBC iPlayer to watch those shows as a history lesson, they’re watching it to laugh – often at the expense of black people.”
TV & Film
Blue Lights: Series two of gripping Northern Ireland police drama launches tonight
Can’t wait for this!
The second season of the BBC‘s hit police drama Blue Lights launches tonight.
The broadcaster previously confirmed which cast members will return as well as the fresh faces who have joined the series for new episodes.
Set in Belfast, the drama followed a batch of new constables as they navigated a post-conflict Northern Ireland.
Before the first series even came to an end, a second series had already been commissioned. The new series will follow on one year later.
Reprising her star role as Grace Ellis is Sian Brooke, also joined by Martin Mccann as Stevie Neil, Katherine Devlin as Annie Conlon, Nathan Braniff as Tommy Foster and Joanne Crawford as Helen McNally.
Also returning are Andi Osho as Sandra Cliff, Hannah McClean as Jen Robinson, Paddy Jenkins as Happy Kelly, Desmond Eastwood as Murray Canning, Andrea Irvine as Nicola Robinson, Aoibhéann McCann as Geraldine Gilroy and Abigail McGibbon as Tina McIntyre.
New cast members joining the show are Frank Blake (Sanditon) as new Constable Shane Bradley, along with Seamus O’Hara (An Irish Goodbye) as Lee Thompson, and Seána Kerslake (Bad Sisters) as his sister Mags.
As well as Craig McGinlay (Cobra) as Craig, and Dan Gordon (Bloodlands) playing Mags and Lee’s Uncle Rab.
At the end of the last season, viewers watched on as the team lost Gerry, who tragically died after being shot by Sully, and the McIntyre Crime Gang collapsed.
In new episodes the new recruits, Grace, Annie and Tommy, are now fully fledged officers who have to face new turmoil as rival gangs try to fill the void after the downfall of the McIntyre’s.
More drama is promised in season two, as the synopsis continues: “Constable Shane Bradley is drafted in to help, but his motivations are unclear. Tommy is dangerously seduced by the world of intelligence policing, while Grace struggles to deal with her son’s absence, and growing feelings for fellow officer Stevie.
“As a young loyalist threatens to take over the city, the officers face a major gangland feud – culminating in a violent and devastating confrontation.”
Commenting on the series and teasing the upcoming episodes, writers and directors Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, said: “Blue Lights is a very personal project for us, set in the city where we live, so for us making this show is a special kind of privilege.
“In series two we join our officers exactly a year after the events of series one, and now they’re facing a whole new set of professional and personal challenges. We’re very excited indeed about bringing you this next chapter of the Blue Lights story. Take a beat!”
Season one landed on screens in March 2023 and received a slew of five-star reviews as well as more than 7 million viewers (28-day figure).
It was in the top ten new drama series of 2023 across all broadcasters and streamers, and the biggest drama series in Northern Ireland in 2023. More than half of the 28-day audience (56%) came from BBC iPlayer.
And fans had high praise for the first series, with one person saying: “Just finished watching Season 1 of Blue Lights (BBC iPlayer) and it’s superb. Gripping and properly moving. Hard to believe, I know, but it’s even better than Happy Valley.”
Blue Lights series two launches on BBC One tonight, Monday April 15th, at 9pm, with the full series available on iPlayer.
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TV & Film
Viewers left baffled at ITV’s The 1% Club’s final question as contestants ‘give up’
Did you know the answer?
The latest episode of ITV’s The 1% Club issued a final question which left viewers baffled as the last two contestants ‘gave up’.
The hit entertainment quiz show which is presented by comedian Lee Mack is known for its notoriously difficult last question – which it claims only 1% of the nation can answer correctly.
After smashing through a series of questions, the last two standing contestants, Maisie and Alex, made it through to the final 1% question, where they had the chance of walking away with the £100,000 prize money or risked losing it all.
But when the question was delivered, the pair were left completely baffled as 30 seconds on the clock ticked away.
Fans watching at home said they didn’t even bother trying to answer the difficult question and were left completely stumped.
Both Maisie and Alex made the decision not to take a gamble and answer the question for a chance to walk away with the £100,000 prize money as they chose to play it safe and take their £5,000 each instead.
The question was: “Given that: 0+100 =100, 1+99 = 100, 2+98 =100, What is the sum of all the whole numbers between zero and 100?”
Maisie and Alex both guessed 5,000 – which was the wrong answer.
Contestants only have 30 seconds to lock in their answer but even allowing themselves a little longer, viewers still struggled to work it out.
The correct answer was actually 5050.
Lee explained why as he revealed the answer, saying: “There are 50 pairs that total 100 (0 and 100, one and 99, two and 98, etc.). That makes 5000, but there is also the number 50 in the middle, that is not in a pair but also needs to be counted, giving a total of 5050.”
Fans of the show who were watching at home took to X to express how difficult they found the question. One viewer said: “I still have the last question on pause, trying to work out the question… never-mind the answer.”
Another wrote: “Hard questions this week. Last week, I got all the way. First time ever this week I was out at the beginning.”
While a third added: “I didn’t even try with that one. Maths is hard enough on a calculator for me, never mind doing it in my head in 30 seconds.”
TV & Film
BBC detective drama Shetland to return for two new series
There’s plenty more in store for viewers as we head back to the Isles
Popular BBC detective drama Shetland is returning for two new series.
The long-running crime drama will return with Ashley Jensen and Alison O’Donnell reprising their roles as Detectives Ruth Calder and Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh.
Filming on the next season, its ninth, will get underway later this month.
The broadcaster said Shetland was the biggest drama of the year across Scotland and all channels and streamers in 2023, after Yorkshire crime drama Happy Valley.
Last season averaged seven million viewers and was the first to see Ashley Jenson take the lead role after taking over from Douglas Henshall as Jimmy Perez – a role he played for a decade.
Ms Jenson said she was ‘thrilled’ to be coming back as Detective Calder.
She said: “The reaction to the last series was incredible and I’m excited at the prospect of unravelling more intrigue.
“The Shetland Isles are breath-taking – without a doubt one of the most memorable and unique filming locations I’ve been to.”
Ms O’Donnell also expressed that she ‘could not be happier’ about returning to film another series. She added: “Ashley and I just scratched the surface of our dynamic in Series 8 and I am delighted that we now have the opportunity to build on that.”
Fans of the programme will be delighted to know Steven Robertson (Sandy), Lewis Howden (Billy) and Anne Kidd (Cora) are also confirmed to return.
Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, said the news showed the corporation was ‘further strengthening’ its commitment to the show, which first aired in 2013.
The latest series will be written by Paul Logue and Denise Paul and produced by Silverprint Pictures, with filming scheduled to take place throughout this year and next.
We can’t wait for this!
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