BBC Diversity Chief moans Idris Elba’s Luther ‘isn’t black enough to be real because he doesn’t eat Caribbean food’

THE BBC’s Diversity Chief has said Idris Elba’s Luther ‘didn’t feel authentically black because he had no black friends’.

Idris, 48, has played the titular detective since 2010, however Miranda Wayland has now said that despite being a landmark moment for the BBC, the series is only superficially diverse and could have been even more authentic.

6

The BBC’s diversity chief has claimed Luther is ‘not black enough to be real’

She added that the Corporation – which has since produced acclaimed programmes such as A Suitable Boy and Small Axe – is now working to portray minority groups in a more rounded and convincing way.

Speaking at the MIPTV conference this week, Miranda said: “When [Luther] first came out everybody loved the fact that Idris Elba was in there — a really strong, black character lead.

“We all fell in love with him. Who didn’t, right? But after you got into about the second series you got kind of like, OK, he doesn’t have any black friends, he doesn’t eat any Caribbean food, this doesn’t feel authentic.”

She added the solution wasn’t as simple as just hiring more black directors.

6

Idris Elba has played the popular detective since 2010Credit: BBC

6

Miranda Wayland said Luther doesn’t have any black friends or eat Caribbean food so it doesn’t feel authenticCredit: Twitter

6

Luther creator Neil Cross said Idris took on the role because ace wasn’t important to the characterCredit: PA

A BBC spokesperson, said: “Luther is a multi-award winning crime drama series and the iconic role of DCI John Luther has become one of TV’s most powerful detective characters of which we are tremendously proud.

“The BBC is committed to its continued investment in diversity and recent BBC One dramas I May Destroy You and Small Axe are testament to that.”

However, Luther creator Neil Cross shared his surprised at the comments, and revealed Idris only agreed to the role because race was not considered important to the character.

He said: “I have no knowledge or expertise or right to try to tackle in some way the experience of being a black man in modern Britain.

6

A film version of Luther is in the worksCredit: BBC

“It would have been an act of tremendous arrogance for me to try to write a black character.

“We would have ended up with a slightly embarrassed, ignorant, middle-class, white writer’s idea of a black character.”

Live Blog

COLTON’S CONFESSION Bachelor star reveals he’s gay & nearly committed suicide over secret

‘POOR KIDS!’ Teen Mom Kailyn ripped for posting Lux’s cornrows after slamming Isaac’s cut

‘IT’S BEEN A JOURNEY’ Bachelor Colton Underwood to drop ‘deeply personal’ news on GMA

Exclusive

WHY WYATT? Wyatt Pike ‘did NOT break Covid protocols and quit Idol for personal reasons’

DANCING DEB Teen Mom Farrah Abraham’s mother Debra, 61, dances in see-through pants

Exclusive

FLIPPING SUCCESS Teen Mom Catelynn’s husband Tyler makes $100K profit after flipping home

6

The BBC also defended the characterCredit: Alamy

The BBC also defended the character and said it was “tremendously proud” of the fact it had attracted an audience of 10 million as well as being sold to over 200 territories around the world.

The Corporation has said it will spend £100 million of its content budget on diverse programming over three years.

The BBC’s Creative Diversity Unit was established in November 2019 with the appointment of June Sarpong as the BBC’s first Director of Creative Diversity.

Meanwhile, a Luther film is in the works, with Idris confirming the news in August last year by teasing: “The sky is the limit”.

Idris Elba finally confirms Luther movie and admits it’s been ‘a long time coming’