C4 ‘diversity day’... that mixed up black stars
CHANNEL 4 has been forced to apologise for a tweet promoting its ‘diversity day’ – after mixing up the names of two BAME female stars.
On Friday, the broadcaster launched its Black To Front campaign, an allday project which saw the channel dedicate programming to championing under-represented voices.
Yet, when the channel encouraged its social media followers to watch a special episode of A Place in the Sun, hosted by mixed-race Scottish presenter Jean Johansson and featuring a black couple, it was condemned for making a massive blunder.
For, accompanying a tweet which read: ‘Join Jean Johansson at the sunny shores as she helps hunters find their dream holiday home at 3pm. #APlaceInTheSun #BlackToFront #C4BlackAndProud,’ social media staff posted a picture of another black star – Scarlette Douglas.
Although Ms Douglas is also a presenter for A Place in the Sun, the two hosts look very different.
Ms Douglas, 34, is black with dark hair, whereas Ms Johansson, 39, is mixed-race with blonde highlights.
Last night, a Channel 4 spokeswoman insisted the mix-up was an ‘extremely regrettable mistake’.
She added: ‘The post was removed within minutes.
‘We have been in touch with both presenters to apologise.’
Ms Johansson, a former STV weathergirl and lingerie model from Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire, has previously spoken out about racism and how she has navigated being mixed race and a presenter in the public eye.
Alongside Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, she discussed her experience at a Racism in Scotland event at the Festival of Politics last year.
Her career has seen her host the BBC’s Animal Park, report for The One Show and appear on Celebrity MasterChef.
Ms Douglas is also a reporter for The One Show and BBC One’s Points of View.
Channel 4’s embarrassing blunder came as the TV station boasted that, with the Black To Front campaign, it was ‘the first and only broadcaster that could make such a significant commitment to bringing new creative ideas, stories, people and points of view to the UK audience’.
Last week, UK Education Secretary Gavin Williamson was roundly mocked after he claimed to have met black footballer Marcus Rashford on a Zoom call, when he had actually spoken to black rugby star Maro Itoje.