TV historian backs statue protesters

DAVID Olusoga has backed protesters who tore down a statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston, saying: “Bristol is a better place without it.”

The statue of Colston was pushed into the city’s harbour during protests last year.

TV historian Olusoga, who lives in Bristol, said: “I think his statue pretended that the only story about him was his philanthropy. Undoubtedly, he was a man who gave lots of money to Bristol, but that money came from slavery.

“And that statue told one side of his story and denied the existence of his victims. I think that was an appalling, appalling thing to have on public display.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs today, Olusoga, who presents the acclaimed BBC documentary series A House Through Time, recalls the horrific racist abuse he and his family were subjected to in his childhood, and thanks former England footballer Paul

Gascoigne for stepping in to help.

Olusoga was born in Nigeria, and moved to his mother’s home of Gateshead,

Tyne and Wear, as a child.

The family encountered appalling abuse and were targeted by the National Front, who drove them from their house after smashing the

APPROVAL: David Olusoga backed protesters who shoved the statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour, inset windows in the middle of the night. Olusoga tells host Lauren Laverne about the day schoolmate Gascoigne helped him. He said: “My older sister, Yinka, was three years ahead of me and in her class was Paul Gascoigne.

“I have one memory of Paul, one strong memory, which is of lying on my back having been pushed over and hit in the playground and this kid with light coloured hair and very bright blue eyes leaned over, and he gave me his hand and he pulled me up.

“He must have been maybe nine. He was one of the tough kids. It wasn’t really in his interest to be looking after this couple of black kids. And I’m very grateful for that.”

Desert Island Discs on

BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 4, today, 11am.