The BBC has been urged to rethink color-blind casting “tokenism” and “preachy” storylines about the UK’s colonial history in scripted series, according to a major study commissioned by the broadcaster.
Conducted by former BAFTA chair Anne Morrison and ex-Ofcom executive Chris Banatvala, the thematic review of “portrayal and representation” across BBC output found that “clunky” depictions of race can cause more harm than good.
The 80-page report revealed audience complaints about Doctor Who casting Nathaniel Curtis as Sir Isaac Newton in the 60th anniversary special “Wild Blue Yonder,” as well as the 2023 Agatha Christie series Murder Is Easy, which featured an allegory on colonialism.
The review noted that color-blind casting was a matter of controversy for commentators and some viewers. Urging commissioners to “consider their choices carefully,” the report said that good intentions to increase diverisity can lead to inauthentic outcomes — outcomes that can sometimes be damaging to the communities they are attempting to serve.
“In depicting an anachronistic historical world in which people of colour are able to rise to the top of society as scientists, artists, courtiers and Lords of the Realm, there may be the unintended consequence of erasing the past exclusion and oppression of ethnic minorities and breeding complacency about their former opportunities,” the review said.
“What needs to be avoided is ethnic diversity which looks forced and tick box, and we found our interviewees of colour as emphatic on this point as those who were white.”
The report said that the BBC’s efforts to measure representation should be done at a genre level, rather than on a show-by-show basis. It said current measurements can “lead to a sense that there needs to be a smattering of diversity in every programme which can lead to inauthentic portrayal.” It added: “In some cases, this can look clunky, particularly in scripted.”
Authors Morrison and Banatvala also warned against “clunky” attempts to boost diversity in storytelling, pointing to the Christie adaptation Murder Is Easy, starring David Jonsson. At the time the series aired, director Meenu Gaur said that storytelling from West African Yoruba culture had informed sequences in the drama, saying it was a “great allegorical story about colonialism.”
The thematic review said: “Audiences are particularly unforgiving of this if it challenges their expectations of what they have switched on to see. If there’s an Agatha Christie murder mystery over the Christmas period, they won’t expect to be taken into anti-colonial struggles, alongside the country-house murder. Unless it’s very skilfully done, there is a danger it will feel overly didactic and preachy, as if the viewer is being lectured or a point is being made heavy-handedly.”
The review was informed by a survey of 4,518 UK adults, interviews with 100 BBC employees and observers, and an analysis of BBC content over a year-long period to the end of March 2024. It said that authenticity was critical to content resonating with audiences, with successful BBC series cited in the research including Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You and Man Like Mobeen, created by Guz Khan.
Yonder Consulting, which undertook audience research, said: “In terms of what made for ‘poor’ representation across the media landscape, participants across the breadth of the qualitative sample highlighted ‘tokenistic’ representation of minority groups or perceived ‘quotafilling’, in which attempts to represent felt incongruous, overdone or unnecessary.”
Yonder said that when on-screen diversity missed the mark, it could “drive people away” from the BBC. “Representation alone was not enough – people also expected deep and nuanced portrayal,” it added.
The BBC welcomed the findings and said it planned to “systematically” review upcoming content plans to “ensure underrepresented audience groups are reflected authentically.” The BBC added that it would update its “measurement framework” in the coming months, potentially changing the way it monitors representation across shows.
Kate Phillips, the BBC’s chief content officer, said: “As this detailed and thoughtful review notes, much has been achieved since we pledged to move more BBC production and commissioning across the UK, but what is also clear is there is still more to do – both here and across the industry. We accept that challenge and we are committed to going further to meaningfully reflect the lives of the audiences we serve.”
BBC chair Samir Shah added: “It is vital the BBC authentically reflects the lives of all the communities, classes, and cultures across the UK. Decision-making must happen closer to audiences if we want to ensure that everyone feels represented and that the BBC remains an engine for growth within the creative industries.”
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