London Hughes reveals phone call with Channel 4 over ‘performative’ Black To Front after slamming takeover day

London Hughes branded Black To Front ‘performative’ (Picture: Getty Images)

London Hughes has revealed details of a phone conversation she had with Channel 4 bosses after publicly slamming their upcoming Black To Front takeover. 

The comedian tweeted her disappointment in the upcoming event, which will see Channel 4’s most popular programmes fronted by Black presenters for one day in September. 

Sir Trevor McDonald will host quiz show Countdown while AJ Odudu and Mo Gilligan are set to revive 90s series Big Breakfast. 

However, London slammed Black To Front as ‘performative’ and ‘tokenistic’ while calling for Channel 4 to support Black talent throughout the year, not just one day. 

Her comments reached the ears of executives at the channel, who contacted London to discuss her suggestions further. 

Sharing the update with her Twitter followers, the comic wrote: ‘Okay so @Channel4 reached out to me re my tweets about #BlackToFront we spoke for over an hour on the subject, and whilst I still don’t agree with the day itself, I do agree with the incentives behind it. 

‘They asked me for advice, I gave it, they listened and said they would implement some changes, one of them being the horrible title, which they understand is divisive.’ 

The To Catch A D**k star said she spoke to Channel 4 bosses for over an hour (Picture: @londonhughes, Twitter)

She added: ‘The day is in 6 weeks. They were very open to listen to why I (and so many of you) had a problem, they understood but ultimately the day is happening. All we can do is wait and see.’ 

London, 32, also took the opportunity to address the criticism of her moving to America from the UK to further her comedy career. 

‘Saw someone comment about me “ugh she’s in America now, why is she talking so much about black issues in the uk?”,’ she tweeted.

Mo Gilligan and AJ Odudu will front Big Breakfast for one day (Picture: Getty, Rex)

‘Because huns, I literally want to be the LAST funny Black British girl that had to leave her own country just to follow her dreams. I won’t let it happen again.’ 

In her earlier tweets calling out the initiative, the Netflix star fumed: ‘What in the performative tokenism.. I .. I have no words. Stop it.. Just hire black ppl in general plz!’

‘As a black person in the UK TV industry all i wanted was a fair and equal shot as my white counterparts.. don’t just give us “Black to Front” days just so you can feel better about not including ppl of colour in your tv output for the rest of the year it’s insulting.’ 

A Channel 4 spokesperson told Metro.co.uk at the time: ‘Black to Front is an ambitious project fronted by Black talent and contributors. 

More: Channel 4

‘It’s about creating a legacy of lasting change, and every genre – from news to drama – and every part of our business is involved.

‘All programming on the day will amplify Black voices, talent, and stories, and every project will have a legacy – either onscreen or offscreen – for Black talent, underlining our ongoing commitment to improve Black representation both on and off screen.’

An exact date for Channel 4’s Black To Front is yet to be announced.

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