TBB Talks

Joseph Marcell, known for his iconic role as Geoffrey in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," is currently touring he UK in the play "The School For Scandal."

He's also soon to be seen in the upcoming Channel 4/ Hulu series "Queenie" by Candice Carty-Williams.

We had the opportunity to chat with him about his role in the play and his involvement in the eagerly anticipated TV series ...

Nels Abbey, British-Nigerian writer and satirist, merges finance with culture in "The Hip Hop MBA."

Author of the best selling 'Think Like A White Man' which shares tips on now to navigate corporate spaces.

Nels talks to us about why he decided to shift the perspective of Hip Hop's leading figures including JayZ, Ice Cube, and Suge Knight from hustlers to respected business moguls, how So Solid's Megaman inspired him, why he refuses to play the game and being a girl dad!

The Hip Hop MBA: Lessons in Cut-Throat Capitalism from Rap’s Moguls is available in all good books stores now.

The brilliance of Micheal Ward was first captured in the Netflix series Top Boy and since he's gone on to shine on the big screen in projects Empire of Light and The Book of Clarence.In his latest project The Beautiful Game, Wardstars as Vinny a gifted striker, who joins England's homeless football team for the Homeless World Cup in Rome.

TBB's Sam caught up with Micheal about the impact working on The Beautiful Game had on him ...

The Beautiful Game is available on Netflix from Friday 29th March

Cynthia Erivo, is the multi-nominated, critically acclaimed Tony Award-winning actress known for her roles as Celie in "The Color Purple" on Broadway and as Harriet Tubman in "Harriet."

The South London born actress is now starring in and producing "Drift," a film that about Jacqueline, a homeless refugee, navigating the challenges of survival on a Greek island after a devastating loss. Jacqueline's encounter with an American tour guide named Callie adds a new dimension to her story, exploring themes of resilience, friendship, and the human spirit amidst adversity.

TBB's Nana Evans spoke to Cynthia about juggling the two roles of actor and producer and how she takes care of self ...

Drift is in UK cinemas March 29th

French-Senaglese filmmaker Ramata-Toulaye Sy's debut feature Banel & Adama is showing in UK cinemas now.

The film being Ramata's first writer-director project made a rare mark on the industry when it screened in competition at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Picked up for UK distribution by We Are Parable Banel & Adama is a love story set against the backdrop of a Senegalese village, delving into themes around love's challenges and the harsh realities of climate change.

TBB's Nana Evans spoke to Ramata about how this visually stunning film came to life ...

Jo Martin, is an acting legend, with her body of work spanning television, film, and theatre. Stand out roles include being the first Black Fugitive Doctor "Doctor Who" and she champions Black narratives by starring in ground breaking projects like "Champion," "Grime Kids," and "Dreaming Whilst Black."

Jo's upcoming role is as Suzie Harris in The Marlow Murder Club where she joins a trio of women investigating a murder in Marlow, blending dark mystery against a picturesque backdrop.

The Marlow Murder Club premieres on Drama and UKTV Play on Wednesday, March 6th, at 8 pm. The concluding part airs Thursday, March 7th, also at 8 pm.

Domino Day is a new BBC horror series about a powerful witch with a dark secret. Domino has to feed on humans to survive, desperate to understand who she is she embarks on a journey of discovery whilst dodging a coven of witches tracking her every move.

We speak to the creator Lauren Sequeira, and lead actress Sienna Miller and co-star Percelle Ascott about the making of this brilliant new series.

Domino Day is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer

In this week's episode we get into "Muna," an award-winning short film that captures the essence of the Somali-British experience.

We sit down with the creative minds behind the film: writer-director Warda Mohamed discusses her vision, producer Angie Moneke highlights the production's journey, and star Kosar Ali shares her personal connection to playing Muna.

Together, they reveal the passion and challenges behind telling a story about grief, culture, identity and belonging.

In this episode of TBB Talks, we speak to Da'vine Joy Randolph, the multi-award winning actress who plays Mary Lamb in 'The Holdovers.'

We delve into her standout performance in this about a moody lecturer at a New England prep school played by Paul Giamtti who stays on campus during Christmas break to look after a few students without a place to go.

He unexpectedly forms a deep connection with a smart yet troubled student, and with the school's head cook Mary who's grieving the loss of her son in the Vietnam War.

Catch 'The Holdovers' in UK cinemas from January 19th.

Tune in to hear what's been on Da'vine's mind when she's accepting her award and her top tips for actors facing a challenging situation ...

Sky Max's hit mind-boggling sci-fi series"The Lazarus Project" takes us on a journey through time loops, the desire to control our destiny, and the complexities of the sci-fi genre.

In this episode, we're joined by multi-award winning actor Paapa Essiedu to dive into his role as George in the series

Season 1 definitely had us all in a chokehold, becoming Sky Max's second-largest scripted series in the last two years. Now, we're excited to explore what Season 2 has in store. We'll also learn about Paapa's current reading preferences and even discover his favourite tube line ...

Maleek Berry is one widely credited as one of the forefathers of the UK Afroswing sound. For that reason it would come as a  surprise to many, to hear that his upcoming project ‘If Only Love Was Enough’ will be his debut studio album.

In this joyous conversation, the versatile artist and producer sat down with TBB to discuss; the pressures of having a hit record, the blessings of having a global fan base and investing in self-improvement to evolve his love language.

Tippa Irie, a Grammy-nominated Reggae artist, is celebrated globally for his music and collaborations with artists like Maxi Priest, The Black Eyed Peas, and Congo Natty. Beyond performing, he's a renowned radio DJ, record producer, and studio owner. Representing the UK music scene, Tippa's legacy is further cemented with his first book, "Stick To My Roots."

We get into his career, the motivation behind writing a book and the importance of his roots ...

Stick to My Roots & Tippa's music is available here: www.tippairie.com

Tim Story is a cultural icon. His contribution to the arts as a director/filmmaker started out with music videos for some of the biggest R&B and Hip Hop stars. He then went on to bring us Think Like a Man franchise, Barbershop, Ride along ... and now The Blackening.

A comedy horror about a group of friends reuniting 10 years after their time in college ... at ... a ... cabin in THE WOODS! Yup.

We spoke to Mr Story about the importance of finding joy even in our most horrific moments ...

The Blackening is in UK cinemas NOW

Music artist Ray BLK recently turned her skills to acting in the critically acclaimed BBC series – Champion. Written by award-winning author Candice Carty-Williams, Ray plays 'Honey' an aspiring singer who goes to great lengths to make it!

Describing herself as a 'multi-hyphenate' we spoke to Ray about falling back in love with her first creative passion, acting ...

Champion is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now. Coming soon to Netflix

London-born Dani Moseley has built a brilliant career on stage, screen & in the booth with recent credits including Everything I Know About Love (BBC), Shadow Gambit & The Cursed Crew (video game) and Straight Line Crazy at the BRIDGE THEATRE. Set to appear in Daniel Kaluuya’s upcoming feature The Kitchen on Netflix, Dani's latest gig is in the 5 star rated new series Dreaming Whilst Black.

Playing Amy, in Adjani Salmon's and reprising her role when it got picked up by A24 & BBC, Dani's dedication to the industry is about to be rewarded with this scene stealing role ...

We spoke to her to get into the highs and lows of her career and the celebration of Dreaming Whilst Black ...

Dreaming Whilst Black is available now on BBC iPlayer

After debuting on ITVX, Riches is coming to ITV1 Friday 1st July.

Written and part directed by Abby Ajayi, whose experience includes working on Shonda Rhimes' How to Get Away With Murder, Riches tells the story of the complicated Richards family, who for over twenty years, their hair and cosmetics empire, Flair & Glory, has dominated the hair and beauty scene. When Stephen the family's patriarch unexpectedly dies, Stephen’s second wife, Claudia, fully expects that their adult children Alesha, Gus and Wanda will inherit the business but when Stephen’s will bequeaths the controlling interest in the business to Nina and Simon, the children of his first marriage, the scene is set for a messy showdown with both factions of the family vying for control.

We caught up with some of the cast to discuss the significance of such a series being made in the UK about an affluent black family ...

Gary Crosby OBE is the founder and Artistic Director of Nu Civilisation Orchestra (NCO) and Tomorrow’s Warriors, whose multi award-winning alumna and tenor saxophonist Nubya Garcia will perform alongside the orchestra for an exploration of Stan Getz’s ‘Focus’. Marking over 60 years of the seminal jazz masterpiece from a true great, ‘Focus’ taking place at the Royal Festival Hall, at the Southbank Centre on 15th September.

More recently, Gary and NCO performed a tribute to Bob Marley's critically acclaimed album 'Catch a Fire' with the Jazz Jamaica All Stars featuring the legendary reggae vocalist Brinsley Forde from Aswad.

Listen as Gary speaks on how he got into jazz from his formative years in Jamaica ...

The return of the Summer Blockbuster is officially upon us with the release of Steven Caple Jr’s action-packed Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - making Caple Jr the first Black director of iconic franchise. This moment was a fulfilment of a lifelong dream for director, who fondly recalls falling in love with Transformers through watching VHS tapes as a boy growing up in Cleveland.

The charismatic American director made time for an insightful conversation with TBB on his UK press run. With his trademark openness, Steven spoke about honouring the legacy of the franchise, undergoing his own personal transformation in the form of fatherhood and opening up the Transformers universe to a fandom that is often excluded from the conversation because “Black people like Transformers too!”

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is in UK cinemas now.

After wowing us as 'Terry' in I May Destroy You the award-winning limited series from Michaela Coel, Weruche Opia's star power is rising!

Her latest project is opposite Patricia Arquette in Apple TV's dark thriller comedy seriesHigh Desert. Opia plays 'Carol'' best friends to Arquette's 'Peggy' an addict, who decides to make a fresh start after the death of her beloved mother, and gets caught up in a murder mystery.

 We spoke to Opia about how much her world has changed since I May Destroy You and working with Arquette.

High Desert comes to Apple TV May 17, 2023

Singer & actress Coco Jones has revamped an iconic character and made it her own!

Playing the iconic Hilary Banks in Bel Air the new series adaptation of hit 90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Coco's version of Hilary, is down to earth, relatable, style goals, and the girl everyone wants as their best friend.

We spoke to Coco about playing such an infamous character and the pressures of being a woman who wants everything!

Bel Air Season 2 is available to watch on on Peacock via NOW & SKY

Teyana Taylor turns a powerful performance as Inez an unapologetic black mother, in A.V. Rockwell's directorial debut film, A Thousand and One.

Inez kidnaps her 6-year-old son, Terry, from the foster care system. They set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity and stability in a rapidly changing New York City.Described as a love letter to New York, and mothers. A Thousand and One has the talking awards for the woman we mostly know as a singer.

Speaking to The British Blacklist, Teyana tells us why all her life experiences have prepared her for this role, including mourning recent family losses, dealing with post-natal depression and what it means to be find that work life balance.

A Thousand and One is available in cinemas now. Coming to a streamer soon.

After honing his craft on the stage, in productions including Barber Shop Chronicles,Master Harold and the Boys and Mogadishu, Hammed Animashaun has landed his first leading on screen role in the BBC comedy thriller Black Ops.

Co-created and starring BAFTA award-winners Akemnji Ndifornyen & Gbemisola Ikumelo Black Ops sees Dom (Animashaun) and Kay (Ikumelo) as PCSOs (PoliceCommunity Service Officers) get roped into going undercover to infiltrate a notorious drug dealing gang.

We spoke to Hammed about working with this career idols Akemnji and Gbemisola, the importance of characters like Dom for the image of black men on screen and the bad weather in Prague.

Black Ops comes to BBC & BBC iPlayer Friday May 5th

Leomie Anderson is a supermodel, the owner of fashion brand Lapp the Brand and now she's got a new gig as the host of BBC's reality competition Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star.

Taking over from her good friend Maya Jama, Leomie is the narrator and contestant mentor in season 5, of BBC's hunt for the next best MUA. With everything you could expect from a show like this, each episode sees impossible tasks, fierce looks, critical judges and a rollercoaster of emotions as we whittle away to the final winner.

We spoke to Leomie about her transition from supermodel to presenter, how she found the confidence to speak out against racism in the modelling world, and, her dream to be on the cover of Forbes!

Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star is available to watch on BBC3 and BBC iPlayer

David Gyasi has been one of the UK's quiet secret acting weapons.

David's noted roles include series' Containment (2016), Troy: Fall of a City (2018), Carnival Row (2019-'23) and not to mention his film cv Interstella (2014), Hell on the Border (2019) and debbie tucker green's phenomenal ear for eye (2021).

He's back on our small screen in a big new Netflix show, The Diplomat. Playing Austin Dennison the UK's Foreign Secretaty in a world where his boss, Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) is rude, obnoxious, potentially dangerous and needs reigning in, and whilst dealing with all of that, he's forced to navigate a new friendship with the US ambassador to the UK, Kate Wyler (Keri Russell).

We spoke to David about the genius of The Diplomat's creator Deborah Cahn, his love of humans, and why he's not in his cat's good books.

The Diplomat season 1 is available to watch on Netflix now.

Akemnji Ndifornyen is on a mission to revolutionise our TV screens. The BAFTA award winning musician, actor, writer, and producer has enjoyed success with this hilarious BBC sketch show Famalam that starred a slew of black talent including Samson Kayo, Vivienne Acheampong, Tom Moutchi, Akemnji himself, Gbemisola Ikumelo and more ...

His latest project Black Ops is a co-creation with his Famalam co-star Gbemisola, a comedy thriller which follows two ill-equipped Police Community Services Officers forced to go undercover and infiltrate a notorious drug dealing gang.

TBB's Nana Evans, spoke to Akemnji about the series ...

Black Ops comes to BBC & BBC iPlayer Friday May 5th

Today Nana & Akua reviewed Giles Terera's play The Meaning of Zong which showed for a few days at the Barbican.

The Meaning of Zong is written & co-directed by Olivier Award-winning Giles Terera who also takes the lead as renowned author & abolitionist Olaudah Equiano.

Based on true events, The Meaning of Zong is set 200 years ago centres around Equiano's efforts to get justice for the 133 enslaved Africans who were thrown overboard the slave ship Zong in an attempt to claim insurance.

Nana & Akua rate the acting, direction, story, set design and music of this powerful play Out of 100

Take a listen to find out the score

We're trying something new!

Taking our Out Of 100 review page on the website to a podcast!

Ranging from anything to do with Screen, Stage, Literature, and the Sound these mediums create we'll be reviewing it.

First up is the West End play 'Wicked' which made history by having three black actors in the main roles Alexia Khadime as Elphaba AKA The Wicked Witch of the West, Lucy-St.-Louis as Glinda AKA Glinda The Good Witch and Ryan Reid as Fiyero AKA The Prince AKA love interest.

TBB's Akua & Nana rate everything from acting, singing, performance, direction, set design, and the most important how much Wicked represents FOR THE CULTURE Out Of 100 ... take a listen.

Actor Toheeb Jimoh has come a long way. From a fresh newbie who brought sensitivity and humanity to the BBC film Anthony about the true story of Anthony Walker who was killed during a racially motivated attack. He's made us laugh as Sam in the multi-award winning hit Apple TV football series Ted Lasso, and now he's back in a dramatic role in the exciting book adapted series The Power currently available on Amazon Prime Video ...

From the book series by Naomi Alderman, The Power is about a global phenomenon that sees teenage girls wake up with the power to electrocute people at will. Toheeb plays Tunde a Nigerian journalist whose viral video of a group of Nigerian girls demonstrating their newfound power sends him on a journey around the world.

We spoke to Toheeb about the importance of representing his Nigerian heritage on screen, the power of TV and moving out of home for the first time ...

The Power season 1 is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video now.

In this episode of TBB Talks, Nana Evans interviews Giles Terera, playwright, actor and co-director of "The Meaning of Zong".

The play is based on the true story of the massacre that took place on board a British slave ship in the 1780s. Giles was inspired to create the play after learning about the resilience and strength of the enslaved Africans on the ship who fought back. Particularly a woman who spoke on behalf of the enslaved people and another who survived being thrown overboard.

In this candid chat Terera talks about the importance of understanding Great Britain's historical past in order to move forward positively. That it's important to provide a glimpse into the strength and resilience of Black people in particular who fought against the oppressive system of slavery. He also shares his journey writing, co-directing and performing in the play.

The Meaning of Zong premiere at The Barbican this month. Find out more here.

Actor John Boyega reunites with writer Kwame Kwei-Armah for Breaking the true story of a  desperate man who finds himself in a desperate situation.

When Marine Veteran Brian Brown-Easley is denied support from Veterans Affairs, financially desperate and running out of options, he takes a bank and several of its employees’ hostage, setting the stage for a tense confrontation with the police.

Joined by the late Michael K Williams, Nicole Beharie and Selenis Leyva, Breaking is a tense re-telling of an emotionally charged story. 

Afua Hagan sat down with John to discuss working with Brian’s family to tell his heartbreaking story and sharing the screen with Michael K Williams in one of his last films.

Breaking is currently available on Prime Video UK

The title 'journalistic legend' is how we'd like to describe our latest guest.

Mr multi-award winning journalist and author Gary Younge is about to release his latest book Dispatches from the Diaspora: From Nelson Mandela to Black Lives Matter.

Ranging from conversations with Stormzy, Maya Angelou, Andrea Levy and Lewis Hamilton to name but a few, to his presence during Obama's historical presidential election, and the natural disaster that was Hurricane Katrina. This career-spanning collection of journalism on race, racism and black life will take the reader on a journey through civil rights, politics and Gary's personal experiences.

Speaking to Akua at The British Blacklist, Gary discusses growing up in Stevenage, how he maintains his voice as a political and social commentator, who he rates right now and why Frasier is his guilty TV watching pleasure.

Dispatches from the Diaspora: From Nelson Mandela to Black Lives Matter will be available to read from March 16th 2023

Bukky Bakray is one busy young actor. From stage to screen she is really making an impact. Her latest project is ‘Liaison’ on Apple TV+.

It’s described as as a high-stakes, contemporary thriller exploring how the mistakes of our past have the potential to destroy our future, combining action with an unpredictable, multilayered plot where espionage and political intrigue play out against a story of passionate and enduring love.

In it, Bakray plays Kim, the daughter of a prominent human rights lawyer who ends up on the edge of a world of espionage.

Bakray took some time out of her busy schedule to sit down with Afua Hagan and discuss her role in Liaison, the next season of 'Succession’ and who she's celebrating.

Liaison is available to watch on Apple TV+ NOW

New crime drama 'The Diplomat' premieres on Alibi on February 28th and with beautiful views of Barcelona it’s the perfect anecdote to the pretty rubbish UK weather we’ve been having. 

But it’s not all sun, sea and sangrias. Starring Danny Sapani, along with Sophie Rundle (Peaky Blinders) and Serena Manteghi (The Hound of the Baskervilles), it follows the team at the Barcelona Consulate as they attempt to help distressed British nationals.

For The British Balcklist, Afua Hagan sat down with Danny Sapani, to talk about filming in Barcelona, what makes 'The Diplomat' unique and what made him sad, mad and glad this week.

The Diplomat is available to watch on NOW

Netflix's new social-thriller The Strays tells the story of a light-skinned Black woman's meticulously crafted life of privilege starts to unravel when two strangers show up in her quaint suburban town.

Starring Bukky Bakray, Ashley Madekwe and Jordan Myrie, the film is the directorial debut of actor/playwright Nathaniel Martello-White.

With stand out roles in Sky series Guerrilla, Steve McQueen's Small Axe series, and with his powerful play Blackta debuting at the Young Vic in 2012, we discuss how Nathaniel's career has prepared him for his seat in the director's chair.

The Strays is available to watch on Netflix now

We’re used to her being the Queen of the Sofa on Friday mornings on ’This Morning’, but now Alison Hammond is set to be the Queen of Sunday night after being unveiled as one of the hosts of this year's EE BAFTA Film Awards alongside Richard E Grant.

Having interviewed some of the world’s biggest stars, Alison Hammond is the perfect fit to front the biggest night in British film.

Afua Hagan caught up with her to talk prepping for her big night and what's made her Sad, Mad and Glad. 

The EE BAFTAs will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and syndicated globally from the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in the heart of London, Sunday 19th February.

NIkki Amuka-Bird’s career is really taking flight. She’s about to star in the latest film from iconic filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, Knock at the Cabin.

Nikki’s second collaboration with Night, as she calls him, follows the story of a young girl and her parents who are holidaying at a remote cabin in the woods - only to be taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand they make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. 

Having recently been seen in M. Night Shyamlan’s Old, HBO’s hit sci-fi comedy Avenue 5 and Netflix’s Persuasion, this is a really exciting time for Nikki.

Afua Hagan grabbed some time with her to discuss her second time working with Night, what made her sad, mad and glad this week and what’s next for her...

With a career spanning almost 20 years, Sarkodie is one of the most successful African rappers of all time. He was the first winner of BET's Best International Flow artist at the 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards, and he was crowned Vodafone Ghana Music Award’s "Artiste of the Decade". 

Bob Marley is one of the most legendary figures in modern music. The Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter inspires with social activism and politically conscious lyrics fused with elements of lovers-rock, ska and rocksteady. As a pioneer of Reggae, Bob Marley was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

So, what do you get when you out these two iconic artists together? A remix of the evergreen track ‘Stir It Up’. With vibrant Ghana-shot visuals to match, it's shaping up to be the collaboration of 2023.

Afua Hagan sat down with Sarkodie to discuss working on the track, what’s next from him and even got some exclusive tour news ...

Finding himself not knowing what he wanted to do after college. It was a conversation with his Uncle that convinced Anthony to try his hand at acting.

14 years later with a career that includes TV, Film and Stage with notable appearances in "The Brothers Size", "Journeyman", "Hanna" and "The Great" safe to say he is no stranger to the scene.

I spoke to Anthony about his role as Leon in Paramount + brand new romcom the Flatshare.

Flatshare is available to watch on Paramount+ now

Don Warrington is a staple of stage and screen, playing a whole range of roles, from smooth political operator Commissioner Selwyn Patterson in BBC’s ever popular series Death in Paradise to the lead role in King Lear. But now he’s taking on a completely different role for a different audience - playing the loveable Grandpa in The World According to Grandpa. 

Grandpa answers real questions from children with nonsensical stories in this series which is a unique blend of live action storytelling, delightful animation and education with Grandpa tag the helm, taking his grandchildren on fantastic journeys through colourful, animated new worlds, all from the comfort of his sofa. It’s a show that is rooted in diversity and inclusivity, showcasing an ethnically diverse cast, diverse animation characters and crew, and a team led by Black and ethnic minority creatives.

For The British Blacklist, Afua Hagan sat down with Don Warrington to discuss becoming Grandpa - in more ways than one - and the importance of making ethnically diverse television in every way.

Check out The World According to Grandpa on My 5.

Tottenham Literature Festival (TLF) has fast become one of the UK’s leading literature festivals celebrating enriched, diverse stories by Black authors, poets, and artists from Tottenham and beyond.

In this episode of TBB Talks, Una chats with Hannah-Azieb Pool, the CEO of the Bernie Grant Arts Centre and founder of the Tottenham Literature Festival.

The festival runs until 20th November, with evening talks during the week and a full day of talks and activities on the weekend. The keynote speaker on Saturday is Travis Alabanza, and Sunday is dedicated to children’s literature. There are also digital events to enjoy. The festival plans to give out 1,000 free books over the course of the festival and in Tottenham libraries in the coming weeks.

Tottenham Literature Festival takes place from 14th - 20th November. Find out more: www.berniegrantcentre.co.uk

The depiction of the continent of Africa on the big screen gets an Afrofuturist iteration thanks to Neptune Frost - the futuristic sci-fi musical from musician Saul Williams and director Anisia Uzeyman.

Set in a near-future Burundi, it follows the story of Neptune, an intersex hacker and their journey to another realm. It’s also a commentary on socialism, tackling issues such as sexuality, slavery, technology, information and power. Shot in Rwanda and featuring dialogue and songs that switch freely between Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Swahili, French and English, the film;’s many layers will take you on Neptune’s journey in a dizzying, colourful arc.

For The British Blacklist, Afua Hagan sat down with William and Uzeyman to talk about building Neptune Frost’s world, whether that world will expand and our film-making duo are rating right now.

BAFTA Breakthrough British actress and writer Susan Wokoma is back as 'Edith' in film 2 of the Netflix series 'Enola Holmes'. The films based on the Nancy Springer novel series of the same name stars Stranger Things' Millie Bobbie Brown as 'Enola' younger sister of her “infamous” brothers Mycroft and Sherlock.

With a booked and busy schedule Susan spoke to us about the significance of playing suffragette aligned activist Edith and how she's navigated her acting career across a wide range of projects which have freed her up from being pigeon-holed as a black actress, and her plans for her career behind the camera ...

Enola Holmes 2 is available on Netflix now.

David Harewood is one of our favourite multi-hyphenates, the actor, producer and director has added the string of author to his bow with his memoir of 'Maybe I Don't Belong Here'.

First published in 2021, it's a moving, powerful and at times uncomfortable account of Harewood's mental breakdown, recovery and devastating family history.

For those of us who like a lighter read, it's now been published in paperback, so no better time for Afua Hagan to sit down with David to talk books, the monarchy and even a little bit of theatre too ...

With a career that has covered films, TV and prestigious events, Reginald Hudlin is a cultural visionary we hold dear. Responsible for classics such as House Party, Boomerang, The Boondocks, D'jango alongside producing the NAACP Image Awards and the Oscars ...

With a back CV like that, it's no surprise Mr Hudlin was the go to person to direct a documentary about the life of Sidney Poitier.

Covering the activist actor & filmmaker's film career Sidney offers wonderful insight into the man; the legend.

We spoke to Reginald about how he went about capturing Poitier's life in one doc!

Sidney comes to select cinemas and on Apple TV+ on September 23

Ghanaian American filmmaker & actress Nana Mensah's latest film Queen of Glory is described as a 'love letter to immigrant daughters'.

The story revolving around a young Ghanaian woman from the Bronx who inherits her mother's Christian Bookstore after her mother's passing.

A warm, funny and insightful tale of grief, tradition, culture and love Queen of Glory is Nana's directorial feature debut, which she also stars in and wrote.

Nana spoke to TBB about being privileged, and why she'll never direct & act herself again!

Queen of Glory is in UK cinemas from Friday 26th August

This week we speak to the brilliant actress Michelle Greenidge about her role in the new season of Code 404.

Sky's popular comedy series lead by Stephan Graham and Daniel Mays is about two Detective Inspectors running the show in the Met Police's Special Investigation Unit until one of them is gunned down and brought back to life by an experimental artificial intelligence project.

Michelle plays PC Williams aka  DS Judith Papastathopoulos. Michelle is popularly known for her roles in Michaela Coel's multi-award winning I May Destroy You, Steve McQueen's historically groundbreaking BBC series Small Axe the Mangrove episode, Ricky Gervais' Netflix Comedy After Life and more.

Code 404 is available to watch now onPeacock TV andNOW

Multi-award winning musician Tinie Tempah is branching out into new creative territories.

He's currently the host of the BBC series Extraordinary Portraits.

As a renowned artistic icon Tinie is best placed to host this transformational series. We discuss why this career transition has been almost seamless ...

The series sees Tinie match members of the public with extraordinary stories to a selection of distinctive and celebrated portrait artists who are then challenged to turn these personal and powerful experiences into compelling portraits.

Series 2 of Extraordinary Portraits airs on BBC One, Mondays at 8.30p,

The series is also available on BBC iPlayer

BAFTA-nominated actor Paapa Essiedu's latest role is in the Sky Original drama The Lazarus Project. Written by Joe Barton (Giri/Haji).

Paapa plays George, an app developer who wakes up reliving a day from the past. Soon after he meets Archie who recruits him to a secret organisation working on preventing world ending catastrophes via time travel. All good for George until he loses a loved one and has to decide what's worth more - saving his loved one or saving humnaity.

We discuss with Paapa, whether sci-fi projects are the manual to surviving real world events and his pending trip to Glastonbury.

The Lazarus Project is available to watch on Sky Max and Now TV

The wonderful Nella Rose is one of the UK's most prolific and talented influential presenters.

Funny, down to earth and relatable, it makes perfect sense that was announced as the new co-host of Catfish UK alongside Oobah Butler.

Starting out with a YouTube college set vlog Nella's been on a brilliant journey. Celebrating her we discussed her supportive parents, why she was always destined to be on screen and whilst she's never been catfished, she has been foodfished!!!

Catfish UK airs Wednesdays on MTV

He's sold out tours, he's broken the internet with his Insta sketches, he's the host of two late night shows, he's about to reprise his role as co-host of the updated Big Breakfast morning show, he's won two BAFTA alongside a number of wins, nominations and recognitions but yet Mo Gilligan's happy place is mowing his lawn, fixing fences and admiring his beard...

Catch series 3 of Mo Gilligan's The Lateish Show Fridays on Channel 4.

Over the course of her career, Paulette Randall has made significant contributions to British theatre and television: from producing Desmond's to serving as Talawa's Artistic Director.

Paulette also became the first Black British woman to direct a play in London’s West End and was famously praised by August Wilson for her directorial work on his plays.

TBB joins Paulette to discuss her work directing the upcoming production of Roy Williams' new play The Fellowship coming to the Hampstead Theatre this June.

Dexter Flanders' play Foxes explores the complexities of sexual identity and the impact unleashing your true self can have on those around you.

As a trained RADA actor turned writer, Dexter focuses on telling stories of "the unvoiced."

After Foxes received a Best New Play Alfred Fagon nomination in 2018 it premiered at Theatre503 in 2021. It's now back at the Seven Dials Playhouse for a second run.

We spoke to Dexter about his journey and his commitment to breaking down stereotypical views of life on the ends ...

Raised by Wolves is the acclaimed sci-fi series by renowned sci-fi storyteller Ridley Scott.

The series follows two androids attempting to raise human children on a new virgin planet following a devastating war on Earth.

BAFTA nominated Abubakar plays 'Father' an android in charge of the human children alongside his partner 'Mother' (Amanda Collins). In the recently aired season 2 Mother & Father and their 6 human children join a newly formed atheistic colony in Kepler-22b’s mysterious tropical zone.

In this interview we discuss the surreal world of Raised by Wolves, Abubakar's Gaming company, and his Kenyan roots ...

Season 2 of Raised by Wolves is available to watch in the UK on NOW

Top Gun Maverick is the sequel to the 1986 original Top Gun. With Tom Cruise back as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell the updated cast features more women, more people of colour and a lot more action.

Greg 'Tarzan' Davis joins the cast as LT. Javy "Coyote" Machado and after a career in TV notably a long stint in Grey's Anatomy we talked about his debut big feature role ... and his grasp of the British accent ...

Top Gun Maverick is in UK cinemas from May 27th ...

Moses McKenzie is the Bristol-based debut novelist of ‘An Olive Grove in Ends’.

An Olive Grove in Ends follows Sayon Hughes, a young Black man from Bristol, who dreams of a world far removed from the one in which he was raised. Growing up, Sayon found respite from chaos in the love and loyalty of his brother-in-arms, Cuba; in the example of his cousin Hakim former infamous drug-dealer turned proselytising Muslim; and in the tenderness of his girl, Shona. After an altercation in which a boy is killed, Sayon finds his loyalties torn and his dream of a better life in peril.

Moses speaks to us about his work post April release of his novel. We speak about his writing, his inspirations, and his career to-date.

Follow Moses McKenzie - @eastsidemoses

Actress, writer and cultural producer Cherelle Skeete has originated many iconic roles – from Rose Granger-Weasley in the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, to voicing guardian omnic Orisa in the award-winning video game Overwatch or, originating the role of Tara in Temi Wilkey’s debut playThe High Table (for which she also received the 2020 British Black Theatre Award for Best Supporting Female Actor).

Cherelle is also co-founder of Blacktress UK, a grassroots network and support group for self-defined black/mixed race womxn actors of the African diaspora.

Cherelle is currently starring as Tina Flournoy in Mike Bartlett’s new play for the Old Vic The 47th, which, written in blank verse, looks forward to 2024 to the next US presidential race, when the battle for presidency is being staged between Kamala Harris (played by Tamara Tunie) and Donald Trump (played by Bertie Carvel).

We spoke to her about the importance of finding joy in your work no matter what ...

Koby Adom is a fantastic director with an eye for dramatic sequences that not only draw in the audience but capture the essence of each project he directs bringing out the best from the cast he works with ...

Graduating with a Masters Degree from the London Film School in 2017 Koby's directing career began with his acclaimed short films House Girl (2016) and Haircut (2018) going on to direct hit shows such as Netflix's Top Boy and recently series 2 of BBC series Noughts and Crosses.

But that's not all, Koby also gives a platform to emerging filmmakers with his production company DBK studios producing content by creatives from black and diverse backgrounds committed to bringing to life untold narratives.

We caught up with Koby to talk all things Noughts and Crosses, and how his faith centres everything he does ...

Rashid Kasirye is a visionary whose contributions to music and culture have helped launched the careers of many of the UK’s most beloved artists. For over a decade, the Link-Up TV co-founder has used his platform to help artists take control of their own narrative and capture the attention of a global audience.

Link Up TV’s newest reality series ‘The Process’ continues in the same vein. The exciting 2-episode series will sees 6 hungry contestants go head-to-head for the unique opportunity to work with LD (67) and Fumez The Engineer to propel themselves into the next level of their careers, whilst also giving viewers an insight into what goes into making a track ready for release.

In this rare interview, Rashid sat down with The British Blacklist to talk about ‘The Process’, how his upbringing in Uganda influenced his outlook on money and the importance of prioritising his mental health.

What can we say about Selma Nicholls. Founder of Looks Like Me talent & casting agency, she blew our minds in 2018 with her mind blowing photography project ‘Hero in us all’ that celebrated the then to be released Disney Marvel film Black Panther.

Just a regular mother of one with big ideas who from the launch of that iconic project featuring black children, to casting for the video of Beyoncé & WizKid's multi-award-winning Brown Skin Girl hasn't looked back.

We spoke to the inspirational woman about her journey and what it means to focus and take notice of our dreams.

Find out more about Looks Like Me: https://lookslikeme.co.uk/

He's been in the game as a multi-award winning singer & songwriter for almost 20 years, but now Lemar has thrown his hat in the acting ring.

His first 'gig' being the Sky Studio original adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's best-selling book 'Little Darlings' opposite fellow musician turned actress Jamelia.

Playing Danny, a rock star who discovers he has a child with the estranged love of his life Lemar discusses how he transitioned from singer to actor.

Little Darlings is available now as a feature length film on Sky Cinema.

With an acting CV that's not to be sniffed at, actress Josette Simon OBE discusses her latest role in Netflix limited drama series 'Anatomy of a Scandal'.

Anatomy of a Scandal stars Sienna Miller as Sophie Whitehouse, the wife of Conservative MP James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend), who discovers her husband has been having an affair. When the news goes public, blowing up their lives things go from bad to worse when James is accused of rape and has to stand trial.

Simon plays Angela Regan, James' defence barrister determined to clear her client of his charges.

Anatomy of a Scandal is available to watch on Netflix now.

One of our favourite creatives John Boyega spared a few moments with TBB to tell us about his Create Next Film Project initiative - a collaboration between himself and popular fashion brand Converse.

The initiative was launched to support London’s new class of young Black filmmakers through a joint venture spotlighting the next generation of film talent, providing mentorship and fully funding their first short films.

Find out more about the initiative and watch the final 5 short films here

Once again the OG actor Courtney B Vance blessed TBB with his presence. 

This time Vance discussed his role as lawyer Franklin Roberts in the new AMC series 61st Street.

Starring British actor Tosin Cole 61st Street stars Moses Johnson (Cole) a promising Black high school athlete, who gets swept up in the Chicago criminal justice system when he is arrested as a supposed gang member after an officer dies during a drug bust gone wrong. Franklin Roberts takes on Moses' case whilst dealing with his personal life problems. 

61st Street airs in the UK every Tuesday night at 9pm on AMC channel exclusive to BT customers. 

British actor Tosin Cole plays Moses in the new AMC series '61st Street'.

Moses Johnson is a promising Black high school athlete, who gets swept up in the Chicago criminal justice system when he is arrested as a supposed gang member after an officer dies during a drug bust gone wrong. 

With a cast starring Courtney B Vance and Aunjanue Ellis we spoke to Tosin about playing such a serious role, and his upcoming roles in the House Party Refix, and Emmett Till biopic 'Till' where he plays a young Medgar Evers.

61st Street airs in the UK every Tuesday night at 9pm on AMC channel exclusive to BT customers.

Jammer is considered a triple OG in the UK music industry. As a pioneer of the UK's grime scene, the MC, rapper, songwriter, and record producer is infamously known as a member of Boy Better Know (BBK) alongside fellow legends Skepta, and JME. He's also behind the Lord of the Mics clash series.

In 2022 Jammer launched a new project, Top Producer - a 5-part competition show for music producers, where each episode Jammer and his guests (Julie Adenuga, Rude Kid, D Double E, and Cktrl) judge and score beat submissions made by up and coming producers from around the UK and beyond.

We caught up with Jammer to get some insight into his journey so far.

Top Producer is available to watch via Trend Cntrlon YouTube

In November, The British Blacklist partnered with Netflix to host a special lunch at Soho House with a selected group of UK-based Black Filmmakers and the brilliant musician and filmmaker from West London Jeymes Samuel.

TBB's founder Akua Gyamfi lead an intimate Q&A session with the award-winning Jeymes to get to the heart of how he created his groundbreaking debut feature film The Harder They Fall.

The Harder They Fall starring Idris Elba, Regina King, Jonathan Majors, Lakeith Stanfield, Zazie Beatz, Delroy Lindo ... against the backdrop of the American wild west an outlaw discovers his enemy is being released from prison, he reunites his gang to seek revenge.

The Harder They Fall is available on Netflix now.

Passing tells the story of two Black women, Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga), who can “pass” as white but choose to live on opposite sides of the color line during the height of the Harlem Renaissance in late 1920s New York.

Adapted from Nella Larsen's novel of the same name, we spoke to Tessa & Ruth about what resonated with them about playing Irene and Clare and the importance of portraying unsatisfied women!

Passing is in UK cinemas Friday 29th October 2021

Will be available on Netflix from November 10th 2021

Actress Rebecca Hall turns her hand to directing with her powerful debut feature 'Passing'.

Starring Tessa Thompson as Irene and Ruth Negga as Clare, Passing tells the story of two Black women, Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga), who can “pass” as white but choose to live on opposite sides of the color line during the height of the Harlem Renaissance in late 1920s New York.

Adapted from Nella Larsen's novel of the same name, we spoke to Rebecca hear why she chose this story as her debut film and what it means to her personally.

Passing is in UK cinemas Friday 29th October 2021

Will be available on Netflix from November 10th 2021

Lennie James returns as Morgan in the long-awaited premiere of Fear The Walking Dead Season 7.

After a long and uncertain hiatus due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, Fear The Walking Dead returns during the aftermath of a nuclear strike that has brought on a new radioactive apocalypse that Morgan and friends must navigate through.

We spoke to star James to discuss a new chapter for Morgan, his journey so far in the franchise and hints at new dynamics with arch-nemesis and friend Victor Strand (Colman Domingo).

Fear the Walking Dead is available to watch on AMC via BT TV - new episodes drop Mondays at 9 pm.

Matiki Anoff is a British-Ghanaian is a BAFTA / Oscar award-winning makeup artist who currently resides in New York.

Having an enviable body of work that includes Spike Lee's classics Do The Right Thing & Mo' Better Blues. And films featuring Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, and Halle Berry and Denzel Washington.

Matiki recently won a BAFTA and was part of the Oscar-winning Hair & Makeup team for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom starring Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman.

We spoke to Matiki about her journey as a Makeup Artist.

Follow @matikipromakeup

Actresses & educators Suzette Llwellyn and Suzanne Packer have recently come together to add 'author' to their list of achievements.

Birthed during lockdown the pair curated 'Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism' is an anthology of 100 testimonies describing the impact of racism on the lives of people of African descent.

Published by HarperCollins the book brings together a cross-section of people from all walks of life. Among the contributors are Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, Paul Boateng, Dotun Adebayo, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Bonnie Greer, Vaughan Gething, Nadine White, Arthur Torrington, Sharon D Clarke, Beverley Randall, WWII veteran Allan Willmot. 

As co-founders of the groundbreaking all-black woman cabaret collective The Bibi Crew and with both sharing inspiring careers on screen and stage, Suzette and Suzanne discuss why their new book is so important.

Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racismis available to buy now from all popular online retailers. Please buy independent where possible!



#Startwith8™ was started by The Bitch Pack’s Thuc Nguyen, screenwriter, activist, and curator of the annual Bitch List in June 2020.

Cheryl L. Bedford is a producer and the Executive Director and Founder of Women of Color Unite and the JTC List joined forces with Thuc on #Startwith8™ after which they launched #Startwith8Hollywood. And now they are branching out with #Startwith8UK and #Startwith8Canada.

TBB's Akua Gyamfi has joined forces with Cheryl and Thuc to lead #Startwith8UK speaks to Cheryl and #Startwith8Canada's lead Murry Peeters about the groundbreaking initiative that connects entertainment professionals with 8 Women (and non-binary people) of Color working in the business to formulate a plan of action based on what each mentee desires and what is achievable by the mentor to create tangible progress in the mentee’s career.

Find out more about #Startwith8 here

Find out more about WOCU here

Find out more about The Bitch Pack here

Find out more about Murry Peeters here

Sweet Tooth the new post-apocalyptic Neflix series adapted from a limited comic book by Jeff Lemire.

Produced by Robert & Susan Downey Jr. The series is about a half deer & half human boy who searches for a new beginning with a gruff protector.

The 'gruff protector' is Thomas Jepperd played by British actor Nonso Anozie known for his breakout role in Cass and following up RocknRolla, Zoo, Cinderella and Game of Thrones. 

We spoke to Nonso about filming Sweet Tooth and the power of saying no.

Sweet Tooth season 1 is available to watch on Netflix now.

In May Amazon Music launched +44 its first ever original podcast hosted by Zeze Millz and Sideman.

The podcast sees Zeze and Sideman joined by some of the biggest names in Black music, sports, film, TV, and culture. Released each Friday, the hosts and their guests will tackle some of the hottest issues of the week, from the biggest stories to hit the news agenda to the latest releases across music, film, or fashion.

We spoke to Sideman about his journey as a comedian, social commentator and host of this brand new podcast...

Listen to +44

Watch +44

Carol Russell is a screenwriter and founder of Fresh Voices UK which amplifies the work of ethnically diverse screenwriters to the television industry. Her work includes principal scriptwriter of Comin’ Atcha Cleopatra; multi-award-winning, BAFTA-nominated drama series Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle. She was one of the BAFTA-nominated team of adapters of Jacqueline Wilson’s Story of Tracy Beaker. Carol is also a Stephen Lawrence Foundation Trust award winner.

Now Carol has teamed up with Jane Evans - one of her generation’s most successful advertising women, to write Invisible toInvaluable - Releasing the Power of Middle Aged Women.With personal stories, exciting research, and insights from a cast of inspirational women, Jane Evans and Carol Russell’s manifesto blows open the ageism that’s sidelined midlife women at work and in society.

We spoke to Carol to hear why she and Jane decided to speak up for middle aged women ...

Invaluable - Releasing the Power of Middle Aged Womenis available at all good book retailers now.

The Richard Antwi Scholarship is an annual award, which found its first scholar in 2018. The scholarship funded by three UK major record labels, music publishers, and several of the top independent music companies and music law firms emerged from the abundance of goodwill Richard left after his untimely passing.

Director of Africa @ Sony Music UK, Taponeswa Mavunga was a close friend to Richard during his life and is a proud supporter of the scholarship.

We spoke to Taponeswa about her own journey through the music industry Richard's important legacy

Find out more about the Richard Antwi Scholarship here.

Eric Collins is the CEO of Impact X Capital Partners and the host of the new British business show 'The Money Maker'.

Named as among the UK's top 100 BAME leaders in technology by the Financial Times, Eric Collins provides his business acumen and expertise to companies he believes he can help turnaround.

The series sees Collins immerse himself into the everyday challenges of a company so that he may identify the difficult truths that the business owner must confront to secure a future.

We spoke to him about the importance of investment to build up black business empowerment.

The Money Maker is available to watch on Channel 4 on demand now.

Find out more about Impact X.

British-born actress & model Jodie Turner-Smith has been cast as Anne Boleyn in the new Channel 5 series Anne Boleyn.

Anne was Henry VIII's second wife who was eventually beheaded allegedly for treason. Jodie Turner-Smith known for her roles in Queen & Slim and Without Remorse leads the story which takes the perspective of Anne's fight against the patriarchy before her untimely death.

We spoke to Jodie about her first role in a period drama and playing such a historically iconic woman...

Anne Boleyn airs Channel 5 Tuesday 1st June at 9pm.

After leaving Zimbabwe, South Africa for Hollywood Tongayi Chirisa hasn't looked back with roles on the stage, screen and the multi-talent sings a bit too.

One of his more recent roles is in the Janelle Monae led horror Antebellum. Whilst on a book tour successful author Veronica Henley experiences a shocking turn of events that upends her whole existence, plunging her into a horrifying reality that forces her to confront her past, present and future -- before it's too late.

We spoke to Tongayi about his role as 'Eli' in the film

Antebellum is available to watch now on Sky Cinema and NOW

Ever since she stole her hearts in Lee Daniels' Oscar-nominated Precious Gabourey Gabby' Sidibe has had stand out roles in well loved projects including Empire, American Horror Story,and The Big C

In the horror Antebellum, Gabourey plays 'Dawn' best friend to lead character Veronica a successful author played by Janelle Monae.

The film focuses on Veronica, who on the tail end of promoting her latest book finds herself in a life-changing and extremely dangerous situation.

We spoke to Gabourey about her role in the film and her trip to Ghana.

Antebellum is available to watch on Sky Cinema and NOW

Anne Boleyn is a new three-part intimate psychological thriller from Channel 5 about Henry VIII's notorious wife.

Told from a new perspective – hers. The show explores Anne’s final months as she struggles to secure a future for her daughter and to challenge the powerful patriarchy closing in around her. 

Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) leads as Queen Anne Boleyn. The ensemble cast includes BAFTA Nominated Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You, Gangs of London) as Anne’s brother and Tudor nobleman George Boleyn...

We had a quick chat with Paapa to find out more about his role in the series.

Episode 1 of Anne Boleyn airs on Channel 5 Tuesday 1st June @ 9pm

Barry Jenkins is a multi-award winning filmmaker who has become a much revered storyteller, especially by lovers of black narratives which push against expected stereotypes.

So it may have come as a surprise to some when it was announced he'd adapted Colson Whitehead's critically acclaimed novel The Underground Railroad which follows two enslaved people make an escape for freedom for a 10-part Amazon Series.

Barry spoke to us about how and why he decided to deliver this powerful, emotive, and visually stunning series.

The Underground Railroad comes to Amazon Prime Friday 14th May 2021

Sheila Atim is an MBE holding, Oliver award-winning actress, singer, composer, and playwright whose understated grace is superseded with her commanding on stage and screen presence.

In her first American TV project, Sheila has been cast as Mabel a key character in Barry Jenkins' highly-anticipated series Underground Railroad.

We spoke to her about the importance of telling our historical stories, and what it was like working with Barry.

The Underground Railroad comes to Amazon Prime Friday 14th May 2021

In the space of a few years, Zeze Millz has become an important voice of the culture.

The award-winning cultural commentator, who's known for speaking her mind no holds barred, has carved out a niche and social commentary platform that showcases her fearless, unique ability to cut through the noise.

We caught up with her to talk about a new YouTube series Black Lives in Music - which sees Zeze talk to guests including composer, singer, songwriter, and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson and 2018’s BBC Young Jazz Musician winner Xhosa Cole. 

We discussed, the show, her career to date, and how she protects herself from those who come for her...

Black Lives in Music is available to watch now via Black Lives in Music on YouTube

Watch the Zeze Millz how via Trend CNTRL 

Sky's latest original comedy series is Bloods created by BAFTA-nominated actor/writer Samson Kayo and award-winning actor/writer/author Nathan Bryon.

The series that stars Samson in the lead alongside Jane Horrocks follows a pair of seemingly mismatched paramedics and their fellow ambulance station colleagues through the life-saving world of a south London emergency service.

We spoke to Samson and Nathan about collaborating on this series and the importance of embedding authenticity into their work.

Bloods airs on Sky from Weds 5th May. Find out more here.

Sharon Duncan Brewster is a quiet British Black acting icon whose breadth of work covers screen and stage. With notable TVG roles in Bad Girls, Top Boy, and Sex Education. Commanding the stage in acclaimed productions such as A Street Car Named Desire at the Royal Exchange in Manchester and A Midsummer Night's Dream at Liverpool Everyman Theatre. She's also the first Black human woman to have a speaking role in the Star Wars franchise (Rogue One)...

Now she takes the lead in Sky's new action sci-fi drama series Intergalactic.

We spoke to Sharon to find out more about her character Tula ...

Intergalactic is available on Sky One & Now TV

Award-winning writer, actor, and director Adjani Salmon and writer, director, and producer, Sebastian Thiel have teamed up on a new project Dreaming Whilst Black.

Loosely inspired by real-life events, Dreaming Whilst Black follows aspiring filmmaker Kwabena (Adjani Salmon) in and out of reality as he tries to make it in Babylon. With the echoes of his family’s disappointment and complicated personal life to navigate, can Kwabena scale all of the hurdles laid out in front of him to get his script commissioned? 

Co-created, co-written by, and starring Adjani, and directed by Sebastian Dreaming Whilst Black has been adapted from the hugely popular web series Adjani created with Ali Hughes and has had the pilot episode picked up by BBC

We caught up with the two creatives to discuss the journey from web series to BBC

Dreaming Whilst Black is available to watch on BBC iPlayer

Aysha Scott is a writer, producer, director, and founder of A Scott Productions and A Scott Academy and is also an actress and mother to two children who are also making headway in the arts industry.

Her latest project Dismissed is a short film about a compassionate catholic teacher who panics when she finds a suicide note in her classroom and attempts to discover the vulnerable pupil.

We spoke to Scott about how her journey from actress to filmmaker has evolved... and how patience and timing have been key to her journey.

Watch Dismissed

Keep up to date with Aysha Scott

Tobi Bakare has been an ever-present on British television sets for the last decade. His seven-year run as everyone’s favourite police officer JP Hooper earned him widespread critical acclaim and led to roles alongside acting greats like Samuel L. Jackson (Kingsman: The Secret Service).

However, before he was patrolling the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, he was a Hackney-boy with ambitions of becoming a footballer

In this episode of TBB Talks, Tobi candidly opened about the role his mother played in keeping him on the right path; how he honed his craft at the renowned Identity School of Acting; and how his faith influenced his decision to leave ‘Death in Paradise’ at the peak of the show’s success...

Over the course of his career, Danny Sapani has appeared in many fan favourites, from Black Panther to Killing Eve. Sapani can also be currently seen on National Theatre at Home taking leading roles in the National Theatre productions of Medea and Les Blancs.

Most recently, Sapani appeared opposite Adrian Lester in the world premiere of Lolita Chakrabarti’s new play Hymn at the Almeida Theatre, which explores the evolving relationship between two men who find out that they have the same father. While theatres remain closed, Sapani and Lester’s performance was live-streamed to audiences watching from home and will be available to watch on-demand between Wednesday 3rd - Tuesday 9th March.

We spoke to Danny to find out more about what it was like performing a play to an empty auditorium …

Follow @DannySapani

Alycia Pascual-Pena rose to fame when she secured the part of Aisha Garcia in Peacock TV’s reboot of Saved By The Bell.

This year, Pascual-Pena makes her feature film debut as Lucy Hernandez in Amy Poehler’s new film Moxie. Based on the bestselling book by Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie is a feminist chick flick for the twenty-first century that follows Vivian (played by Hadley Robinson), a shy 16-year-old, who finds inspiration from her mother’s rebellious past and anonymously publishes a zine that sparks a school-wide, coming-of-rage revolution.

We spoke to Alycia to get the inside scoop on just how much of the film was improvised and what it was like working on set with such a strong female cast…

Moxie is available to watch on Netflix now.

Follow @alyciadelsol

Kyla Frye is an award-winning actress and filmmaker who is also the founder of Fryeday Entertainment production company. With a breakout role in Noel Clarke's West 10 LDN the BBC adaptation of Courttia Newland's (Small Axe) book Society Within - Frye's versatility has allowed her to bring about three short films that have received critical acclaim - showbiz documentary, “The Key”, Amazon Prime crime caper, “Double Cross” and mental health awareness film, “Faces”.

Recently she joined forces with filmmaker Mo Ali to co-produce his unique interconnected film “Breathe”. Told in four parts Breathe is written by four Black British writers; Sheila Nortley, Robert Bertrand, D’Marie Dowe, and Miles Mitchell and features the best in Black British acting talent.

We spoke to Kyla about navigating the industry whilst managing career expectations, depression anxiety, and being a wife and mother of two.

Find out more about Breathe

Follow @kylafryeofficial

Find out more about Breathe: @mafilmsltd 

Tom Moutchi's most recent milestone is being announced as ‘Anthony’ a teacher at a PRU in BBC THREE’s new comedy-drama PRU (Pupil Referral Unit).

At this stage of his career, Tom is all too familiar with the attention brought on by fame. From his teenage years in Peckham as an internet sensation to the set of big-budget blockbusters (The Hustle), Tom has appeared on our laptops, phones, and TV screens for the last 10 years as one of his many characters (Drilly T, Tommy Xpensive, etc) and sketches (Famalam). Not forgetting his work on the stage in the critically acclaimed Barbershop Chronicles

On this episode of TBB Talks, Tom came as himself; the raw, honest, and vulnerable creative that we often only get a chance to see when the cameras stop rolling

In the enlightening conversation, Tom spoke in-depth about the future of comedy, his role as a mentor to young talent, and the strength he draws from his faith.

PRU airs on BBC Three | BBC iPlayer Tuesday 2nd March 2021

Follow @tom.moutchi

#TheLostTapes

We spoke to British Nigerian actor, writer, director O-T Fagbenle, back in February 2020 pre-Lockdown.

At the time he was filming season 4 of The Handmaid's Tale where he continues his role as Luke, Offred's husband and father of her daughter pre-Gilead. He'd just been announced as Rick Mason in Marvel's Black Widow and he was getting ready for the release of his Channel 4 comedy show Maxxx which he wrote, exec-produced, and starred in.

Because of lockdown Maxxx's release was pushed at the latter end of 2020 - available to watch via Channel 4

The Handmaid's Tale season 4 is complete and will air April 28th 2021 on Hulu

Marvel's Black Widow will be released (hopefully in cinemas) May 7th 2021

With over 15years film & TV experience under his belt, Nicky Bedu is the co-founder of Fully Focused Productions, the production company renowned for having its finger on the pulse of the UK's up and coming filmmaking talent.

With their offshoot YouTube platform Million Youth Media (MYM Media) racking up millions of views on their content which showcases work from underrepresented young filmmakers, Nicky and his co-founding partner Teddy Nygh and their team are gearing up for big things this year.

Fully Focused Productions is one of three organisations that will benefit from Netflix's 350k investment into organisations that work with underrepresented groups.

We spoke to Nicky to find out MYM's plans to double the amount of youth they work with and how being sent to live in South Africa sparked his career in production ...

Anita Abayomi is one of the founding members of the UK’s first Black female-led football podcasts (Goal Diggers UK).

Alongside amplifying the voice of Black women in sport through her own platform, she has also been invited to make guest appearances on the likes of Sky Sports News to speak on football-related matters, racism, and female representation.

Goal Diggers UK

Anita Abayomi

Ryan Calais Cameron’s career spans the worlds of TV and theatre, writing and acting. Previous hits include his play Retrograde, which was shortlisted for the 2019 Alfred Fagon Award and Verity Bargate Awards 2020, and Queens of Sheba (co-written with Jessica Hagan), which won the 2018 Edinburgh Untapped Award before transferring to the New Diorama Theatre for sell-out performances.

This February, Cameron’s play Typical will make its world premiere on Soho Theatre On Demand.

First performed in 2019 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before transferring to Soho Theatre for a sell-out run, Typical uncovers the man and the humanity behind the tragic true-life events of Black British ex-serviceman Christopher Alder and the injustice that still remains twenty years since his story emerged.

The specially filmed performance stars Richard Blackwood and is directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour.

We spoke to Ryan to find out more about the play and the development of his writing career so far …

Find out more about Typical @ sohotheatreondemand.com

Follow @RyanCalaisC

Hackney-born actor Franz Drameh talks to us about his latest role in Twist, the modern-day adaptation of the classic Oliver Twist story.

In the lively conversation, Franz candidly talks about the challenges he still faces at this stage of his career, being able to work alongside acting greats like Michael Caine and his hope that seeing Black people in major roles will no longer be noteworthy, but the norm.

Follow @officialfranzd

Twist is available to watch on Sky Cinema & Now TV

Dominique Moore is a groundbreaking legend in her own right. Alongside actresses Pippa Bennett-Warner and Nathalie Emmanuel was the first actress to play 'Young Nala' in the first UK West End performance of The Lion King ... paving the way for a career across stage and TV including BAFTA-winning show Horrible Histories and docu-soap Paddington Green.

More recently Dominique can be seen as 'Yasmina' in the ITV dark comedy Finding Alice about a woman dealing with the loss of her husband in her own unique way.

We asked Dominique what it was like to have Beyonce follow in her footsteps, how she took control of her career, and about her actor's development agency dmalondon.com ...

Follow @dominiquemoore

Finding Alice is available to watch via ITV Hub