ITV has shown solidarity with dance group Diversity once more after more than 24,000 people complained to Ofcom about its Black Lives Matter performance on Britain’s Got Talent.
The former BGT winners returned to the show on September 5 with an extremely poignant and powerful routine honouring the BLM movement, which at one point saw dancer Ashley Banjo being knelt on by a man dressed as a police officer – echoing the killing of George Floyd.
After tens of thousands complained about the performance, ITV stood by its decision to broadcast the routine in a statement that described the performance ass ‘an authentic, heartfelt response to many of the issues and events which have affected society in 2020’.
Now, the TV channel is doubling down on its support for the dance troupe by running a ‘Stand With Diversity’ advert in all national newspapers.
The advert features a photo from Diversity’s performance, which the broadcaster has captioned: ‘We are changed by what we see. Just as we are changed when we are seen.’ Towards the bottom of the image, a message reads: ‘ITV. Stand with Diversity’.
Ashley Banjo later shared ITV’s message on social media, saying the dance group has ‘never been prouder’ following the broadcaster’s support for them. ‘This is what change looks like,’ he wrote.
The powerful performance featured a dance interpretation of the Black Lives Matter protests that are currently taking place across the US and worldwide, with several dancers performing with police riot shields.
Following the complaints, Ofcom announced it wouldn’t be taking any action against Britain’s Got Talent, stating: ‘Diversity’s performance referred to challenging and potentially controversial subject, and in our view its central message was a call for social cohesion and unity.’
In fact, the complaints only go to show exactly why the performance was needed in the first place – with Banjo previously stressing this in an interview in which he revealed the dance group had faced ‘racial abuse’ and ‘threats’ in the wake of the performance.
It’s clear, then, that it’s time to face up to the systemic racism Black people face each and every day all over the world and finally do something.
And while one dance performance might not have the power to do that, it’s certainly having a positive impact – as ITV’s support has proved.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact Stop Hate UK by visiting their website www.stophateuk.org/talk
Source link : https://www.unilad.co.uk/film-and-tv/itv-runs-stand-with-diversity-advert-in-all-national-newspapers-following-ofcom-complaints
