In his MacTaggart speech at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Graham referenced data indicating that, as of right now, only 8% of those employed in the television industry come from a working-class background.
According to him, this indicates that a relatively small group of people are “bringing their stories, culture, outlook, and experiences to a platform that is meant to reflect all those things back to us.”
Graham also stated that social mobility should receive more emphasis and called class “everyone’s least favourite diversity and representation category.”
The plays and television shows that Graham is most renowned for are Sherwood, Dear England, Quiz, Best of Enemies, and Brexit: The Uncivil War.
The 42-year-old demanded in his Edinburgh speech that socioeconomic class be taken into account more frequently when gauging diversity in the sector.
Graham stated, “We are hesitant to define it, thus we still frequently leave it out of industry metrics related to diversity.
Graham said he “was state school educated at a comprehensive – like 93% of the country” in front of a group of influential people in the TV industry.
However, he pointed out that the percentage of workers who attended a public school is much smaller in some areas of the cultural industry.
“Made no apology for foregrounding arts subjects for majority working-class or benefit-class kids in a socioeconomically deprived area,” was how Graham described his previous school.
