BBC branded 'jaw-achingly stupid' over black actors in Tudor drama

The BBC is facing a backlash over its 'jaw-achingly stupid' decision to cast black and ethnic-minority actors in historical drama Wolf Hall.

The controversy has been heightened by claims from show bosses that the move was supported by author Dame Hilary Mantel, who died in 2022.

The Mirror and the Light, the TV adaptation of the final book in Dame Hilary's Wolf Hall trilogy, broadcasts on BBC1 on Sunday, with several black actors in 'very significant roles'.

 Starring alongside Mark Rylance's Thomas Cromwell and Damian Lewis's Henry VIII, is Jane Seymour's mother, Lady Margery, who is played by Sarah Priddy, a British-born actress of mixed heritage, while Nan Seymour, Jane's sister-in-law, is played by Cecilia Appiah.

Maisie Richardson-Sellers, a London-born actress of Guyanese heritage, plays Lady Bess Oughtred. Egyptian-British actor Amir El-Masry appears as poet and politician Thomas Wyatt.

Black actors were not cast in leading roles when the critically acclaimed show first aired in 2015.

The criticism over 'colour-blind casting' has been led by viewers of colour, who noted the measure has become commonplace since Bridgerton, Netflix's period drama which was led by a black cast, first aired in 2020.

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Sonya Douglas, a black writer and artist, wrote on social media: 'The really stupid thing about 'Bridgerton-ing' these top-drawer historical dramas: Everyone suffers. Cast, story, viewers, author, future audiences faced with a simplistically multicultural Ye Olde England. There are plenty of non-white Tudor stories that could be told that would enlighten, inform and entertain, but being 'woke' is just easier.

'What a missed opportunity. I can't believe Hilary Mantel would approve of something so jaw-achingly stupid.'

Fans of the original agreed, and suggested episodes of history involving black characters which could be dramatised.

One wrote: 'There are the real stories of non-white Tudors that would be electrifying and enriching for all of us to hear – instead, this kind of facile tokenism betrays everybody's history, not least those who they're clumsily trying to un-marginalise.'

Another said: 'The BBC are basically saying black history isn't interesting, so we'll co-opt white history.'

Wolf Hall director Peter Kosminsky said the decision to cast actors irrespective of their ethnicity was supported by Dame Hilary. He added: 'Obviously we aren't playing lookalikes in the series. We cast the best actors we could to convey, in our opinion, the essence of the role.'

Dame Hilary addressed the issue in 2021, saying: 'It's difficult for me, because to me they're not characters, they're people, and I have a very strong sense of them physically. But as soon as you move to stage or the screen, that must yield because you're in the realm of representation. I think we have to take on board the new thinking.'

Colin Callender, founder of the Wolf Hall producer Playground, said: 'The world has changed since the first series.

'We felt that diverse casting was appropriate and something we should and wanted to do. It's as simple as that.'