Bristol's David Olusoga OBE received a Special Award for an outstanding contribution to television at tonight's (May 14) BAFTAs. The historian and broadcaster has led the review of how history should be taught through popular culture.
David is the long-running host of BBC series A House Through Time and wrote the award-winning series Black and British: a Forgotten History. He also presented the the Bafta-winning Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners and the BBC arts series Civilisations.
The special commemoration is one of the BAFTAs highest honours and recognises an outstanding contribution to film, games or television. David's award is a tribute to his ongoing impact upon the TV industry.
Host Ramesh Ranganathan introduced the award, saying: "Next up is the Special Award. This is given in recognition to those individuals who have made and indelible impact on their genre."
The award was hosted to David by actor David Harewood. He announced: "It is my privilege to be here tonight to present David Olusoga with the BAFTA Special Award for outstanding countribution to television. Over a three-decade career straddling academia, award-winning books and ground-breaking documenteries, David has always been a trail-blazer.
"Fiercely intelligent, moral and courageous, his work has transformed how we view history, interrogate national narratives and invigorated how we see our present. He represents the best of what television can do; it's power to inspire, educate and challenge.
"If any body of work proves the famous quote 'the past is never dead, it's not even past', it's his."
Accepting his award, David said: "Thank you with all my heart to BAFTA for this astonishing award. Thank you to all of my colleagues and friends, my family who have been there for me. Thank you to everyone in this industry who has ever believed in me."
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