Labor MP Gareth Thomas has called for soaps to better represent East Asian communities in Britain.
The MP for Harrow West also urged new Culture Secretary Sajid Javid to make sure the Arts Council and Ofcom do more to promote and monitor the diversity of the shows' employees.
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Gareth Thomas says that soaps do not represent East Asian communities
He said that soaps like EastEnders and Coronation Street have "disappointing" records when it comes to casting East Asian characters.
The politician explained: "In nearly 30 years I'm told EastEnders has only ever had one regular East Asian character, a young female DVD seller who lasted just six months.
"Given that the East End of London remains one of our most ethnically diverse areas, it's a little odd that Albert Square hasn't had so much as even the proverbial clichéd Chinese takeaway.
"Coronation Street has a similarly disappointing record, waiting until 2011 before an East Asian character appeared there - again they lasted just four months."
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Thomas has criticized records of soaps like EastEnders and Coronation Street
PA quotes him as adding: "And hospital dramas such as Casualty, Doctors and Holby City have a similarly disappointing record, which again given the number of East Asians working in our hospitals, including in senior roles, seems somewhat at odds with the reality of a very diverse workforce in the NHS.
"So actors who have spoken to me worry too that any East Asian actor who is unable or unwilling to embody a stereotype will simply be unable to build any kind of career given the lack of opportunities to play appropriate and non-stereotypical roles."
Tom Brake, Deputy Commons Leader, responded to Thomas's comments, saying: "I think we would all support the idea that people who appear on our screens or airwaves should be fully representative of the population as a whole and in roles that do not stereotype."
Former Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati last year called for greater cultural diversity on TV, saying: "Opportunities are not easy and anyone who says the color of my skin doesn't affect me within British society would be lying."
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the mention about hospital dramas reminds me of how people will defend nearly all white casting in the name of realism, but don't say shit about how most hospital shows only have one or two asians in the cast.
The MP for Harrow West also urged new Culture Secretary Sajid Javid to make sure the Arts Council and Ofcom do more to promote and monitor the diversity of the shows' employees.
Gareth Thomas says that soaps do not represent East Asian communities
He said that soaps like EastEnders and Coronation Street have "disappointing" records when it comes to casting East Asian characters.
The politician explained: "In nearly 30 years I'm told EastEnders has only ever had one regular East Asian character, a young female DVD seller who lasted just six months.
"Given that the East End of London remains one of our most ethnically diverse areas, it's a little odd that Albert Square hasn't had so much as even the proverbial clichéd Chinese takeaway.
"Coronation Street has a similarly disappointing record, waiting until 2011 before an East Asian character appeared there - again they lasted just four months."
Thomas has criticized records of soaps like EastEnders and Coronation Street
PA quotes him as adding: "And hospital dramas such as Casualty, Doctors and Holby City have a similarly disappointing record, which again given the number of East Asians working in our hospitals, including in senior roles, seems somewhat at odds with the reality of a very diverse workforce in the NHS.
"So actors who have spoken to me worry too that any East Asian actor who is unable or unwilling to embody a stereotype will simply be unable to build any kind of career given the lack of opportunities to play appropriate and non-stereotypical roles."
Tom Brake, Deputy Commons Leader, responded to Thomas's comments, saying: "I think we would all support the idea that people who appear on our screens or airwaves should be fully representative of the population as a whole and in roles that do not stereotype."
Former Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati last year called for greater cultural diversity on TV, saying: "Opportunities are not easy and anyone who says the color of my skin doesn't affect me within British society would be lying."
source
the mention about hospital dramas reminds me of how people will defend nearly all white casting in the name of realism, but don't say shit about how most hospital shows only have one or two asians in the cast.
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