To “kickstart fresh push for greater on and off screen representation”, Channel 4 has announced it will hold ‘Black Takeover Day’.
The day, which is scheduled to take place next year, will see a number of the show’s flagship programmes being presented by and starring Black Talent from
Mo Gilligan will launch the day with a return of The Big Breakfast, while other mainstream programmes on Channel 4 such as Celebrity Gogglebox, Countdown and Hollyoaks – which will show a one-hour special “written, directed and performed by black talent” – will be reimagined with all-Black casts from breakfast to late night.
Channel 4 has said Black Takeover Day will “mark a year since the international protests and debates sparked by the killing of George Floyd and lead into Black History Month 2021.”
Speaking on the day, the director of programmes at Channel 4 – Ian Katz – said: “Channel 4 was created to give voice to underrepresented parts of society and do things which other broadcasters would not, and the ‘Black Takeover’ qualifies on both counts.
“It will be much more than a day of eye-catching programming, providing a focal point for our efforts to drive up on and off screen representation and leaving a lasting legacy on the channel and beyond.”