THE BBC has faced much criticism this year for the coverage of referendum and post referendum politics.
It has been accused of a London-centric view of UK politics. There have also been claims of the Beeb producing repetitive and unchallenging television that reflect populist and cheap programming decisions.
However the production of Banished takes us into a whole new ball game. The BBC has produced a stunning production with a great script and excellent cast-what the BBC has always been renowned for world wide.
To have recruited Jimmy McGovern, one of the UK'S most capable playwrights to write the script was an inspiration. The cast is outstanding and the material reflects an area of our colonial history that receives little airing. It has always been my view that the history of the nations that make up the United Kingdom provides stories that are infinitely more exciting than fiction. Sometimes they are stories that are difficult to tell because of the violence and emotional difficulty of the narrative. But they are still very important to tell because of their impact on our lives today. The accounts of Empire and colonialism produce complex and interesting narratives which should be explored. It also makes good financial sense to work in collaboration with a partner country that was colonised by the British Empire.
It is very good to use writers like Jimmy McGovern who writes movingly about the experiences of working-class people. If our major public service broadcaster does not produce material that reflects the experience of all sectors of the UK population then justice is not being done. I am sure that it is difficult to get agreement for a production of this kind. But if you have to make choices about watching another series of Downton Abbey or a production like Banished, I know where my vote would go.
Congratulations to all involved.
Maggie Chetty,
36 Woodend Drive, Glasgow.
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