TBB Talks

In this episode of Blacklisted Conversations, we sit down with award-winning filmmaker and historian Shola Lynch, celebrated for her powerful documentaries centring Black voices and untold histories. With a legacy that includes Free Angela and All Political Prisoners and Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed, Lynch brings a distinct, truth-driven approach to storytelling.We dive into her latest work as director of the Leading Women in Hollywood segment of the Apple TV+ docuseries Number One on the Call Sheet. Lynch shares the care and craft behind building trust with initially hesitant icons like Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, and Gabrielle Union — ultimately capturing deeply personal reflections on navigating stardom as Black women in the industry.From the politics of representation to the pursuit of creative freedom, this conversation explores the resilience, legacy, and quiet power that fuel both her subjects and her own journey as a filmmaker.

Robinne Lee, an accomplished actress and author, has a diverse career spanning both film and television. She made her screen debut in the 1997 independent film "Hav Plenty" and has since appeared in movies like "National Security," "Deliver Us from Eva," "Hitch," "Seven Pounds," and the "Fifty Shades" sequels.On television, Robinne is known for her role in the BET drama series "Being Mary Jane" and has guest-starred on shows such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Numbers." Her impressive educational background includes degrees from Yale University and Columbia Law School.Transitioning from acting to writing, Robinne published her debut novel, "The Idea of You," in 2017. This story, which explores themes of love and fame, has recently been adapted into a film starring Anne Hathaway and is currently available to watch on Amazon Prime Video

Vinette Robinson is an award-winning actress known for her roles in "Sherlock," "Black Mirror," and as Rosa Parks in "Doctor Who." Born in Bradford to a Jamaican father and British mother, her career spans television and theatre. She received acclaim for her award-winning portrayal of sous chef Carly in the film "Boiling Point." In her latest role, Robinson portrays Natalie, a controlling and toxic mother, in new Channel 4 series "The Gathering." Set in Liverpool, the show delves into the complexities of teenage and family life, exploring deep-seated conflicts and relationships ...We spoke to her about playing difficult to love characters and how to achieve that all important work/life balance ... The Gathering airs on Channel 4 Tuesday 14th May @ 9pm.

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." Renowned for wit and insight, Abbey challenges business norms through Hip Hop's lens.He spoke to TBB about why he decided to turn the hustlers of hip hop into respected moguls ...

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, Ward stars 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.

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.

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

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 series High 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

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 100Take 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 on https://www.peacocktv.com/unavailable#:~:text=Watch%20Full%20Episodes%20of%20Code%20404&text=Stream%20all%2012%20episodes%20with,brought%20back%20from%20the%20dead. (Peacock TV) and https://www.nowtv.com/watch/code-404/iYEQZ2uDbPiuWJBjjrjwoL#:~:text=Detective%20Inspectors%20John%20Major%20and,Sky%20Original%20comedy. (NOW)

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 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0019ffj (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 https://www.sky.com/watch/the-lazarus-project (Sky Max) and https://www.nowtv.com/watch/the-lazarus-project/iYEQZ1vXy2NqkVQfmdrjrE?DCMP=KNC-Generic&ds_ag=The+Lazarus+Project+-+Watch+-+Exact&ds_kwid=p71670406402&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtvqVBhCVARIsAFUxcRtBfuM5V76xovrLqH80BpqyPOHy49aLKm0kgVaTMipoi_KRTwzYspgaAt8eEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&nclid=FPBU1aBZAQ9d6uC6Wq6YEmyXUblwLUEBxlNhYdCiA0BzDs_VqV72xYbcUR-2OEAI (Now TV)