Ashley Banjo says Diversity’s Bafta win allows him to finally move on from complaints fall-out

Banjo’s dance troupe became the subject of relentless racist abuse and trolling after their performance on Britain’s Got Talent

Ashley Banjo has reflected on winning the Bafta TV award for Must-See Moment, saying the prize proves his dance troupe Diversity has the support of the public.

Last year, Diversity made headlines for their Black Lives Matter-inspired routine, which they performed on Britain’s Got Talent.

Following the performance, the group became the subject of relentless racist abuse and trolling, with almost 30,000 people complaining to Ofcom.

Banjo also revealed that he received death threats in the wake of the performance.

Speaking on KISS Breakfast on Monday morning (7 June) after his win, Banjo said: “It was so much more than an award for all of us. The public had a way to quantify their opinion negatively with the complaints but there wasn’t really a way to capture the positivity, to capture the love.

“It was out there, we felt it but last night weirdly it just felt like a way for the public to say something else.”

He added: “If we didn’t win it was incredible to be nominated, but that was down to the BAFTA board. The win was down to the public. So I was like, if we win that for me is how I’ll put a full stop behind this chapter for the rest of our lives.

“It won’t be the complaints anymore it’ll be the BAFTA award-winning performance… I’m not going to remember it now cause of the negativity, I’m going to remember it cause we are BAFTA award-winners boy!”

Michaela Coel and Paul Mescal also took home some of the top prizes at the awards.

Coel was at the ceremony to accept the award for Best Mini-Series, and took time to thank the crew members who worked on I May Destroy You. Later, she won the coveted Leading Actress award, offering shout-outs to her fellow nominees including Normal People’s Daisy Edgar Jones and I Hate Suzie’s Billie Piper.

Charlie Cooper took home the award for Male Performance in a Comedy Programme, for his role in This Country, while Aimee Lou Wood won Female Performance in a Comedy Programme for Sex Education.

You can find the full list of winners here and talking points from the evening here.