Imagine – Bernardine Evaristo: Never Give Up

BBC1, 10.35pm

She found a place in history as the first black woman to win the Booker Prize, for her novel Girl, Woman, Other in 2019 – also becoming the first joint winner, sharing the award with Margaret Atwood.

But though for many that was the first they had heard of Bernardine Evaristo, it was an ‘overnight’ success that was a long time coming: she made the breakthrough with what was her eighth book. Now, as Evaristo (right) publishes her memoir, Manifesto, she talks to Alan Yentob about race, class and feminism, plus her memories of her childhood in an AngloNigerian family and the many years of struggle in the early part of her career.

She explains her path with an inspiring statement of self-belief: ‘It’s a certain kind of bloody mindedness. I’m going to do it but I’m going to do it my way.’