Racism exists in showbiz: Alesha Dixon

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : Apr 04 2013 | 7:45 AM IST
British pop star Alesha Dixon says she was stunned when she was told she would never feature on the cover of a magazine due to her skin colour.
The former 'Mis-Teeq' singer said she has confronted prejudice throughout her career and was once told by an interviewer that black stars could not represent a publication as it would put buyers off, reported Cosmopolitan.
"I did an interview with (another) magazine once and the journalist quite openly said they wouldn't put a black person on the front cover because the magazine wouldn't sell. It made me angry because it shouldn't be about the colour of a person's skin, it should be about the person," she said.
Dixon became a panel judge on UK TV show 'Strictly Come Dancing' in 2009 and has praised bosses for hiring a black woman.
"There still aren't many (black women) on prime time TV. Britain's an amazing multicultural place and that should be celebrated and represented.
"When I joined in 2009, the controller of the BBC came into my dressing room and said they were proud to have a woman of colour on their panel. It was so nice they acknowledged it," she said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 04 2013 | 7:45 AM IST

Next Story