I am finding Charlene makes everything about race. When Brenda's son (RIP) was on the show, she was talking about how he is an inspiration to black men and being the first black man etc. Why can't she just congratulate him on his success without making it a novelty and about race? Someone pointed out on another thread that she says "in our community" a lot in reference to black people and that she is creating a them and us atmosphere and I don't think that's right. We should all be one big community. A white panellist would not get away with talking about the white community in a way that excludes viewers.
I think she is completely right to bring the experience of being a black person in the UK into the conversation but she does it in an aggressive way, as does Kelle. I know that the aggressive angry black woman is an offensive trope to some but there is no other way of saying it, they are both aggressive and unpleasant sometimes when trying to get their point across. Brenda and Judi have slotted into the panel so well. They are there as women panellists, there to represent black women sure, but just has part of a team that get along, sometimes bringing the experience of being a black woman, but in the main just getting along with everyone, having a laugh.
As a viewer I am on edge when Charlene and Kelle are on, both separately and together. By that I don’t mean necessarily it is what they say, just the fact they create an atmosphere on set, and it’s an uncomfortable watch as a viewer. It is like they want a divide. They are there to entertain the viewers, but they are making it about them. You don’t get that with Judi and Brenda. Judi in particular I love. She brings great warmth and her previous role in social care brings a depth of discussion to the panel, she has experience on the front line that the other panellists do not have.
Charlene and Kelle were exchanging pointed looks when JSP was talking yesterday. Kelle was very rude to Jane Moore a few weeks back. They need to be aware that the camera picks up these micro aggressions. From the viewers perspective it doesn’t look great. Kelle made a point that she always turned up for work yesterday but sadly could not when she found out about the untimely death of Jamal. That inferred a professionalism that is missing from her interactions with other panellists.
There has been a marked decrease in manners recently among the panellists. Penny Lancaster is another uncomfortable watch, she is so far removed from real life (a Rolls Royce picks her up from a shift as a special constable) but she is smug, patronising and relatable. Little spats and giving each other the side eye. Some hysteria (Denise, Carol). They aren’t all friends, which is what they would have you believe, nor do they have to be, but they are sometimes bringing a mean girl attitude onto the set. It is unsettling for the viewer. You can disagree without falling out. People like Sunetra, Ruth, Katie, and Judi say what they have to say without an edge.
I think the producers need to have a word with all the panellists, bring in a protocol on behaviours on set. It’s not about them, it’s about the viewers. They all have life experience to bring to the table, but it needs to be shared in an inclusive way. By inclusive, I mean including the viewer, not just there to use their platform to promote their issues about race and covid and goodness knows what else, and to drop the digs and the side eye. They are there to stimulate discussion from all angles, not one person has the edge over anyone else on that panel. They are in a privileged position, earning a decent appearance fee, but it’s a job, not the playground or their own social media platform.
