Ashley Banjo has reflected on Diversity’s controversial Black Lives Matter routine, one year on from when it aired on Britain’s Got Talent.
Ofcom received more than 31,000 complaints from viewers after the dance troupe’s political performance, choreographed after the tragic death of George Floyd.
Appearing on This Morning on Tuesday, Ashley, 33, talked about how he didn’t leave the house for weeks in the midst of the backlash and his new documentary; Britain In Black And White, set to air on Tuesday.
‘I didn’t leave the house for weeks’: Ashley Banjo reflected on Diversity’s controversial Black Lives Matter routine, one year on from when it aired on BGT on Tuesday
The group won the BAFTA Must See Moment for their performance- despite it being the second most complained-about TV moment for a decade after they narrated Floyd’s murder at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin.
Speaking about the reaction to Diversity’s performance, Ashley said: ‘There was a moment where I hadn’t left the house for weeks. When I went out for the first time I was looking at people thinking – ‘what do they think?’
‘At one point, I was getting tweeted 100 tweets a minute. It was 60 per cent negative. We’re talking of thousands of messages. Where are these people in the tangible physical world? In the street, all I got was life.’
Ofcom received more than 31,000 complaints from viewers after the dance troupe made reference to George Floyd’s tragic death in the political performance
Hiding away: Appearing on This Morning, Ashley, 33, talked about how he didn’t leave the house for weeks in the midst of the backlash and his documentary; Britain In Black And White
But the outcry made the choreographer want to delve further into British history and address the racism he has experienced in his life as well as others around him.
‘I didn’t want to point fingers,’ Ashley said.
‘I wanted to learn and sit back and say “was I wrong?” I knew I wasn’t in my heart but I wanted to learn the history, the present, and where we might go.’
Scared: Speaking about the reaction to Diversity’s performance, Ashley said: ‘There was a moment where I hadn’t left the house for weeks’
Win: The group won the BAFTA Must See Moment for their performance- despite it being the second most complained-about TV moment for a decade
‘I’ve just tried to understand the reaction a bit more.
‘The starting point was the routine. What actually happened? Then I went backwards and tried to speak about the history and who fought in the past for equality.
‘I spoke to people that agreed with me and then actively disagreed with me and complained. I wanted to hear both sides. They don’t hold back.
Important: But the outcry made the choreographer want to delve further into British history and address the racism he has experienced in his life as well as others around him
‘The complaints are all different. A lot of people assume I say “if you complained you’re a racist”.
‘But nowadays some of it’s covert, unconscious, institutionalised. Whether it be demonising police, not being factual, there have been a lot of different reasons to say we shouldn’t have performed. But the fact we’re talking about it, that’s why we should have performed.’
In an interview with The Guardian, Ashley also discussed how he wasn’t trying to ‘make a political statement’ when Diversity performed the BLM routine.
‘I wasn’t trying to cause reform or change policy, I was just bringing the conversation to a place that is natural for me: a stage,’ he said.
‘Without the BLM element, it wouldn’t have been too political or too sad, or not right for light entertainment. What was ‘wrong’ is that I brought in Black Lives Matter.’
Kind: The performer also revealed how a number of celebrities got in touch by showing their support, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured last month)
The performer also revealed how a number of celebrities got in touch by showing their support, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
‘They called when everything was going on, just to check in and offer their support. [Meghan and Harry] understood racism in Britain and what it felt like to have a certain level of backlash … In the sea of negativity, it was a huge help,’ Ashley said.
It was the support from others which gave Ashley the courage to leave his house and explore the reaction to the performance.
In the documentary, the dancer meets with BGT judge Alesha Dixon and comedian Jim Davidson as well as historian David Olusoga to find out more.
Ashley Banjo: Britain in Black and White airs on Tuesday at 9pm on ITV.
One to watch: Ashley Banjo: Britain in Black and White airs on Tuesday at 9pm on ITV