David Lammy praises Comic Relief’s decision to cut back on celebrity appeals

The charity came under fire in February for promoting 'white saviour' tropes

David Lammy has praised Comic Relief for vowing to send fewer celebrities abroad after criticising the charity for presenting stars like Stacey Dooley as “white saviours”.

On Tuesday, Comic Relief’s co-founder, screenwriter Richard Curtis, told MPs that he suspects future fundraising initiatives “will not be based on celebrities going abroad”, describing the issue as “really complicated”.

“We feel this desperate passionate need to raise as much money as we can,” the Notting Hill writer said while giving evidence in front of the International Development Committee, adding: “but if we’re doing harm as well then that won’t do”.

In February, the MP for Tottenham criticised Comic Relief for sending Dooley to Uganda because it presented a “distorted image of Africa which perpetuates an old idea from the colonial era”.

The Strictly Come Dancing winner was vilified for posting a photograph with a young Ugandan child on Instagram with the caption “OBSESSED”, which has since been changed.

At the time, Comic Relief said it stood by its decision to send Dooley, an award-winning and internationally acclaimed documentary-maker, to the country for its appeal, claiming that Lammy had rejected the charity’s invitations to make a film for them.

Lammy denied the claims and urged Comic Relief to “refresh its image and think harder about the effects its output has on our perceptions of Africa – and the costly knock-on effect this has on the continent”.

Addressing the criticisms on Tuesday, Curtis said: “Well, we took it very seriously and it’s clearly a part of a journey that we’re on.” He also pointed out that Dooley’s film was one of two made by Comic Relief this year that featured celebrities.

The filmmaker added: “On TV, I think it will be heading in the direction of not using [celebrities], and particularly being very careful to give voices to people abroad.”

Lammy praised Curtis’ comments on Twitter, writing: “Looks like Comic Relief are finally ready to listen to hundreds of thousands of my constituents and others who support aid but want to move on from the tired, harmful stereotypes and tropes that surround it and prevent genuine equity and partnership.”