Bafta TV Awards: Diversity win Must-See Moment award for Black Lives Matter routine on Britain’s Got Talent
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Dance troupe Diversity won the public-voted Bafta TV award for Must-See Moment, for their Black Lives Matter-inspired routine performed on Britain’s Got Talent.
Following the performance last year, the group became the subject of relentless racist abuse and trolling, with almost 30,000 people complaining to Ofcom.
Troupe leader Ashley Banjo also revealed that he received death threats in the wake of the performance.
Ofcom rejected the complaints and issued a statement that said: “We carefully considered a large number of complaints about this artistic routine, an area where freedom of expression is particularly important.
“Diversity’s performance referred to challenging and potentially controversial subjects, and in our view, its central message was a call for social cohesion and unity. Any depictions of violence by the performers were highly stylised and symbolic of recent global events, and there was no explicit reference to any particular political organisation – but rather a message that the lives of black people matter.”
Banjo gave a speech at the Bafta ceremony, in which thanked the people who voted for Diversity as well as those who “stood by us” during the furore surrounding their routine.
“It was a dark time but that support made a difference and in a way I have to say thank you to the people who complained, the people who put all that abuse out there online,” he said.
“You showed the truth. You showed exactly why this performance and this moment was necessary. But for all those people, take a look... This is what change looks like, and I am so proud to be standing here.”
He concluded: “For me, this is about not representing the minority. It felt like we weren’t at the time, but standing here now, this represents the majority, so thank you all so much. Let’s keep having those difficult conversations, let’s keep standing up for what’s right regardless of the colour of our skin and we will achieve that equality.”
Banjo was praised by viewers and critics for his speech.
TV critic Toby Earle tweeted: “A class acceptance speech from Ashley Banjo, thanking those who complained about Diversity’s BLM routine for showing the extent of the issue they were addressing.”
“I am sooo happy for Ashley Banjo, Diversity and BGT for winning that #BAFTA actually a little emotional. Well deserved and shuts down all the complainers!” one viewer wrote.
Another tweeted: “Ashley Banjo is such an amazing and impressive man. I am so glad Diversity won the audience award, it means a lot.”
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