We’ve known for a little while now that Steve McQueen has been developing a miniseries over at BBC. The only available details had been that the show would track the lives of black Britons living in West London from 1968 onwards. However, a few new bits of information have arrived, and it looks like the show will be tackling some very timely subject matter.
Attending the Guardian Edinburgh Interational TV Festival, BBC One exec Charlotte Moore revealed that McQueen’s six-part project will kick off with infamous "Rivers Of Blood" speech by in 1968 by Conservative politician Enoch Powell. In it, he railed against immigration and anti-discrimination laws in Great Britain, and his views stated therein are a close cousin to what Donald Trump is currently espousing in his campaign for president. Anyway, McQueen’s show will center around The Mangrove, the restaurant located in Notting Hill which was a hub of activist activity and the focus of police attention: in 1969, authorities tried to shut the Mangrove down, and arrested nine people during protests, who quickly became known as the "Mangrove Nine."
This is some great material for a dramatic series, and with production slated to begin next spring, we’re eager to see who comes on board this one. [Deadline]