BBC’s Nihal Arthanayake says he saw ‘a lack of diversity in my workplace over a long period of time’ – weeks after Radio 5 Live presenter said working at the ‘overwhelmingly white’ Beeb was bad for his mental health

• The 52-year-old said the ‘ lack of diversity’ at the BBC was ‘isolating and lonely’

Nihal Arthanayake says he saw ‘a lack of diversity in my workplace over a long period of time,’ weeks after the Radio 5 Live presenter said working at the ‘overwhelmingly white’ BBC was bad for his mental health. 

The 52-year-old presenter posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the ‘lack of diversity’ at the publicly-funded broadcaster was ‘isolating and lonely’.

 Arthanayake also accused ‘gbeebies [GB News] loving types’ of making him out to be ‘anti-white racist, adding: If a single one of them think I am going to be quiet they are even more stupid’.

Speaking at the Journalism Diversity Fund (JDF) conference at BBC Media City in Salford last month, he said: ‘I’ve seen a lot of people leave this building because they couldn’t deal with the culture.’

Arthanayake, who is of Sri Lankan descent, told the conference: ‘It’s really affecting me that I walk in and all I see is white people.’

The 52-year-old presenter posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the ‘ lack of diversity’ at the publicly-funded broadcaster had left him ‘feeling isolated and lonely

His colleagues’ response when he told them this was to reply defensively that they were not being racist, he claimed as he said that was missing the point.

The journalist’s latest tweet was met with a strong backlash from some users who accused of him of being ‘anti-white’ and suggested that if the same comment came from the opposite perspective of white person, it would branded racist. 

The author of ‘Let’s talk: How to have better conversations’, hit out at the criticism by posting: ‘Racists calling me a racist is peak 2023 on this platform [X],’ before urging his followers to follow him on rival platform Threads and ‘leave these racists, bigots and blue tick warriors to argue amongst themselves and shout at me’.

Pro-Brexit activist James Goddard said: If it’s isolating and lonely then go to Sri Lanka where you’ll feel at home. The British people were never asked if we wanted millions of foreigners in our country.

‘If we were asked, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in today with anti white racists like you being given a platform to spout your hate’.

One user said that if the presenter felt isolated and that he was bring treated differently, he could have raised a grievance but if his complaint is down to skin colour only, then its a reflection of his prejudice.

But Arthanayake responded by saying: ‘Some white people have been seeing our colour and treating us accordingly ever since we got here’. 

Other users came to show their support of Arthanayake, such as Michael Volpe OBE,  founder & former CEO of Opera Holland Park, who posted on X: ‘The relentless racism that [LBC presenter] Sangita Myska, Nihal Arthanayake and [Lingo presenter] Adil Ray – 3 prominent British broadcasters get tells a depressing story.

Nihal Arthanayake says he saw ‘a lack of diversity in my workplace over a long period of time’

The journalist’s latest tweet was met with a strong backlash from some users who accused of him of being ‘anti-white’

Presenter said his colleagues’ response when he told them this was to reply defensively that they were not being racist, he claimed as he said that was missing the point

‘Basically if your skin is not white, for too many people you will NEVER be English/British. My skin is white and I will never be British either’.

At the JDF’s conference last month, Arthanayake said: ‘I don’t think there’s a single Muslim involved in the senior editorial processes’ at BBC Radio 5 Live.

He added: ‘The hardest thing is to walk into a room, look around and nobody looks like you.’

The presenter made the comments in an on-stage interview with Jo Adetunji, editor of The Conversation, at the JDF’s annual equality, diversity and inclusion conference organised by the NCTJ, which trains new journalists.

READ MORE: Nihal Arthanayake says working at the overwhelmingly white BBC is bad for his mental health

The JDF awards bursaries to aspiring journalists from diverse backgrounds who do not have the financial means to support themselves through their training.

Arthanayake added that he has noticed a difference since moving north after living in London for 20 years.

He said: ‘Since moving up here, being called the P-word – that didn’t happen in London.

‘You’d get a slap for that in London, not even from me.’

Following the interview, Cheryl Varley, a BBC Radio 5 Live producer, said the organisation is committed to tackling the lack of diversity in its newsrooms.

After inviting the JDF bursary recipients for a tour of the newsroom at the end of the conference, she told them: ‘The BBC needs you a lot more than you need them because if we do not represent our audience the future for the BBC is grim.’

The MailOnline has approached the BBC for comment. 

Source: Read Full Article