Director Max Stafford –Clark once said “theatre holds the mirror up to society”. Television is our largest theatrical medium. One programme reaching millions in one airing- more than any theatre could boast.  Both are noble mediums, both have the potential to reach many. Until technology finds a way to re-create the theatrical experience for a world-wide audience- the responsibility of mirror holding lies with the medium of television and film.

Storytelling is storytelling.  Then whose stories is Television telling? We seem to be in a place still where being of colour IS the storyline- rather than it just being a fact. This asks the question- is non white still an issue in our Society? Is television drama merely reflecting this or is it sorely behind the times. There was a time when actors “blacked up” and put on strong accents, depicting offensive stereotypes.  In 1969 ITV’s “Curry and Chips” aired for 6 episodes before being axed. It had Spike Milligan blacked up to play an Asian character. Why was an Asian actor not hired? Who was the joke really on?  The laughing audience or the cultural identity that Milligan was aping?
30 years later Goodness Gracious Me turned that whole convention on its head and had Asian actors mocking Asian mannerisms and cultural tends- and we laughed heartily. It mirrored the prejudice that could be out there and within the Asian community as well.

Yet 10 years on and one of the actresses from Goodness is playing “Zainab” in EastEnders- an almost pantomime character- who gossips over tea and cake over who is sleeping with who – and thinks nothing of branding her gay colleague unnatural. What her character shows us is a Muslim woman who is unforgiving and so blinded by religion- she cannot see her own son is gay. Is this character driven or culturally driven? What is it reflecting?

Since the world events of 9/11 there has been a steady increase in drama programmes that look at what it means to be brown skinned- or rather have a member of the cast who is brown skinned- and invariably it seems talks in an accent, is blinded by religion, wears a hijab, is running away from an arranged marriage, is contemplating becoming a terrorist (EastEnders, Britz, Yasmin). It is very rare to have a prime time show that features an Asian actor/actress in a story line that has absolutely nothing to do with the colour of their skin.  There are exceptions: Indira Varma in Broken News, Hari Dhillon in Holby City, Amita Dhiri in This Life and many others. These are to be applauded- but really should they be the exceptions and not simply the norm?

How many television factual/entertainment programmes have Asians in a prominent role? Perhaps shows like X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent could show us some Asian Talent on the judging panel- or even as guests? Nitin Sawhney, Jay Sean, Riz Ahmed (actor and mc).

What this shows is that there is a fundamental missing link in programme making across television. From what is being written to what is being commissioned to what is being programmed. Is this our mirror? Is this the ugly truth? Programmes like Dancing on Wheels; are they our mirror? That we need a “celebrity” to tell us all that being disabled is okay? Is this where we have got to?  Do we really still need to have an Asian storyline in a programme for the audience to accept that it is okay to be Asian.  

Hopefully a new generation will be inspired not angered by what is lacking.