Channel 4 unveils line-up for annual Inclusion Festival titled Altogether Different: Live

21 November 2022

inclusionfestival.channel4.com

• Keynote address from Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy

• Model and activist Munroe Bergdorf, broadcaster Sideman, journalist Poppy Begum, YouTuber Jamie Raines and Brenda and Tanisha Edwards all taking part

• Festival to feature discussions on industry representation off-screen and portrayal on-screen of Muslims, trans people and disabled people

Channel 4 today announced the speakers for this year’s Inclusion Festival, which will take place on Wednesday 30 November. Bringing together industry leaders from across the UK discussions will examine how diversity is shown and examined on-screen and what representation looks like off-screen. It will ask those working in the media industry what urgent action needs to happen.

Alex Mahon, CEO, Channel 4, said: “Channel 4 has proved itself to be an effective agent for change over the decades. For forty years we have been using the power of our programmes to shift and shake views and perceptions. But there is still a huge amount to be done by all of us. Altogether Different: Live will bring the industry together to ask how British TV is doing in becoming truly representative of the UK and where we need to do more.”

Marcia Williams, Director of Inclusion, Channel 4 added: “We know TV has the power to shape people’s sense of self, feelings of belonging and of community from local to global.  Ground-breaking TV has made a huge contribution towards richer and more progressive social attitudes, particularly over the past 40 years.  But we know that as an industry there is still so much to do to tackle the persistent challenges around equitable representation and inclusion on and off screen.  The need for change is urgent and our industry has the resources and imagination to truly reflect the people and communities we serve. Now we must collectively show the will. Altogether Different: Live will focus in on what change is needed and how our industry can make it happen.”

Krishnan Guru-Murthy, lead presenter of Channel 4 News, has been announced as the event’s keynote speaker and will talk about his life and career.

The announced industry leaders who will speak at the one-day event include: Alex Mahon, CEO, Channel 4; Tim Davie, Director-General, BBC; Dame Carolyn McCall DBE, CEO, ITV and Maria Kyriacou, President, Australia, Israel and the UK, Paramount.

Further high-profile speakers include model and activist Munroe Bergdorf, who will host a panel discussing the representation of trans people on TV. Journalist and broadcaster Jordan Jarrett Bryan will moderate a panel examining disabled representation amongst on-screen talent and across senior producing roles and asking why change is too slow. Journalist Poppy Begum will lead a panel discussing Muslim representation in the television industry.

Finally, the family of entrepreneur and DJ Jamal Edwards MBE will celebrate his life and work, which saw him create the powerhouse YouTube channel SBTV. Jamal’s mother Brenda Edwards and sister Tanisha  Edwards will speak with broadcaster and comedian Sideman about how Jamal challenged and invigorated the industry.

To access the full programme and to watch the festival from 9am on Wednesday 30 November register for free at inclusionfestival.channel4.com

All sessions will be available to catch up on demand, and subtitles and BSL translation will be available to ensure that the event is fully accessible.

Notes to Editors

Channel 4’s Inclusion Festival presents - Altogether Different: Live

Wednesday 30 November 2022

Full Schedule:

09:00: Welcome 

Presenters:

• Tayo Oguntonade, Property and Finance Expert, TV Presenter and Influencer
• Briony May Williams, Celebrity Chef and Presenter

09:30: Opening and Introduction

• Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer, Channel 4

09:35: Being Trans in TV

Host:

• Munroe Bergdorf, Model, Activist, Broadcaster, and British Vogue Contributing Editor

Panel:

• Shon Faye, Writer, Journalist and Presenter
• Jen Ives, Comedian
• Kenny Ethan Jones, Writer and Advocate
• Jamie Raines, YouTuber and LGBTQ+ Advocate
• Asifa Lahore, Drag Queen and Public Figure
• Annie Wallace, Actress (Hollyoaks), Activist and Consultant

1035: Sahera’s Story – Performance

• Sahera Khan, Writer, Creator, Actress, Filmmaker and YouTuber

1040: Alex Mahon, Chief Executive, Channel 4

• Alex Mahon, Chief Executive, Channel 4
• Sophie Morgan, Broadcaster and Disability Advocate

11:00: Morning Break

11:15: Changing Perceptions - The Muslim Experience

Host:

• Poppy Begum, Journalist and Producer        

Panel:

• Nabil Abdulrashid, Comedian and Writer
• Rizwana Hamid, Author, Director, Journalist
• Mim Shaikh, Actor, Broadcaster, Spoken-word Poet
• Ola Labib, Comedian, Writer and Actor

12:15: Maria Kyriacou, President, Australia, Israel and UK, Paramount

• Maria Kyriacou, President, Australia, Israel and UK, Paramount

12:35: Homage to Jamal

• Sideman, Comedian, Broadcaster, Creator and Cultural Commentator
• Brenda Edwards, Actress, Television Personality and Presenter
• Tanisha Edwards, CEO, SBTV

13:00: Lunch        

14:00: The Truth About Disability in TV

Host:

• Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, Journalist, Broadcaster

Panel:

• Kate Phillips, Director of Unscripted, BBC
• Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer, Channel 4
• Richard Watsham, Chief Creative Officer, UKTV
• Fatima Salaria, Managing Director, Naked Television
• Caroline O’Neill, Series Producer Director and Executive Producer
• David Proud, Writer and Actor

15:05: Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive, ITV

• Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive, ITV

15:20: Dear Casting – Performance

• Samuel Rossiter, Writer and Actor

15:30: Afternoon Break

15:45: Channel 4 D&I Panel, So What Now?

• Marcia Williams, Director of Inclusion, Channel 4
• Naomi Sesay, Head of Creative Diversity, Channel 4

16:15: Tim Davie, Director General, BBC

• Tim Davie, Director General, BBC

16:30: Keynote

• Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Main Anchor of Channel 4 News

16:45: Closing Remarks and Special Live Performance

• Sophia Thakur, Performer

ENDS

For further information or pictures, contact:

SMackean@Channel4.co.uk   07518 292 040

ARoberts@Channel4.co.uk