June Sarpong: I've rarely been on sets with people of colour

June Sarpong has "rarely" been on sets with other people of colour.

The 43-year-old TV presenter - who has been appointed BBC\'s first director of creative diversity - thinks there is still a long way to go when it comes to equality in the TV and movie industry, but she doesn\'t think America is doing any better than Britain is.

She said: "I have worked in the US and here over 20 years, and I would say they are not so great in every regard over there. They have many other problems to deal with there.

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"We all realise Britain has been slow, but I don\'t look at the US situation as a holy grail we have to reach. Rarely have I been on sets in either country where there were other people of colour. Except, that is, for my hairdresser and make-up artist, and that is because I brought them with me."

June actually thinks that in some ways, the BBC is "ahead" of other broadcasters when it comes to the issue of diversity.

The presenter told the Observer newspaper: "The BBC often gets a hard time as it is held to a higher standard, and so it should be because it is a public service. But in some ways we are ahead.

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"A lot of uncomfortable conversations have been going on for a while now, for instance over the treatment of Naga Munchetty [the \'BBC Breakfast\' presenter who was criticised for taking issue with President Trump\'s racially loaded language].

"So much of the stuff we have been able to announce in the last few weeks we\'ve been working on for a long time."

June made the comments shortly after BBC Radio and Music allocated £12 million over the next three years to making inclusive content.

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The move came as part of broader measures to improve diversity in BBC Radio.