In 1981, the BBC cast Anthony Hopkins in the title role of Othello, which he performed in Blackface. This decision caused an uproar among Black actors, who had long decried the dearth of parts available for them on television in dramas and sitcoms. The limited pool of roles consisted largely of harmful and stereotypical characters, which affected the image of Black people in Britain.

This edition of LWT's multicultural series Skin focuses on the effect of television on attitudes towards race, including the role of sitcoms based around race in shaping racial attitudes. Black writers and actors discuss the introduction of integrated casting, which has been called for by different groups, with some suspecting that white actors may end up being the main beneficiaries.

Showing the emergence of the Black theatre companies, the programme reflects on how they have operated in parallel to the traditional industry to provide good parts for Black actors and allow the space for burgeoning Black writers to hone their craft. Unfortunately, this climate for Black actors continues to the present day. Over recent years, the emergence of Black British talent has coincided with a 'brain drain', with US television and film industries benefit from a generation of multitalented actors who have migrated in search of opportunities that remain unavailable at home.

This episode features an interview with the former controller of BBC television and academic Stuart Hood.