Modern slavery climbs as BAFTA row widens and juries face axe
Plus: Black Current News wins award
Good evening everyone,
Can you believe we’re already nearing the end of the first quarter of 2026? Time is flying.
We’re back with your weekly round-up of news from within and around Black communities.
It’s another full edition. The week began on a hectic note with the BAFTA n-word debacle and, as the days unfolded, further revelations came to light.
We’ve also learned that modern slavery cases are rising across the UK.
In other news, Black Current News was recognised with a ‘Writing Excellence’ award this week, officially making us an award-winning independent platform.
Scroll through to catch up on what you may have missed. We’ve welcomed a surge of new subscribers in recent days, so to those joining us: welcome.
And to all of you: thank you for backing independent, Black-owned media.
‘Til next time!
Good news
Five Black scholars now working in Formula 1 teams as Lewis Hamilton-backed scheme expands
Dr Giovannie Jean-Louis launches app aimed at increasing Black participation in medical research, as reported by Black Things UK
Eastern Caribbean currency to replace Queen’s image by 2027
Guardian announces Leah Green as head of Guardian Studios
Over £13,000 raised in community appeal after child’s custom wheelchair stolen from “secure” London garage
Lilly Koranteng, a Black communications specialist, has been selected for UN Women global gender equality summit
BAFTA n-word debacle
This year’s BAFTA ceremony was rocked after the n-word was shouted at actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo on Sunday, sparking widespread backlash.
Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson made the involuntary outburst while the pair presented the first award. The slur was reportedly shouted at least three times, including at production designer Hannah Beachler. Davidson told Variety that the BBC should have “worked harder” to prevent his words from being broadcast and questioned why he was seated near a live microphone.
Warner Bros executives reportedly asked BAFTA to have the incident removed from the BBC’s time-delayed broadcast, but their concerns were ignored.
Black communities raised concerns about duty of care. Black Current News first reported that BAFTA judge Jonte Richardson stepped down and that Google apologised after a push notification displayed the slur in full.
Our founder Nadine White spoke on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Gloucestershire - and wrote an op-ed in the Guardian examining what the episode reveals about race in Britain.
The BBC has since launched a fast-track investigation, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy calling the broadcast “completely unacceptable and harmful”.
Family of Henrietta Lacks, an African heritage woman, secures settlement over ‘stolen’ cells
The family of Henrietta Lacks, a Black mother whose cervical cells were taken without consent in 1951 and used to transform modern medicine, has reached a second settlement with a biotech firm. Her “immortal” HeLa cells led to breakthroughs including the polio vaccine and advances in cancer and HIV research - and were distributed to laboratories worldwide, including in the UK.
Exclusive | Police investigate alleged ambush on Black teen as mum says school ignored plea for help
West Midlands Police say they are investigating a “disorder involving a number of teenagers” in Willenhall, West Midlands, which resulted in a Black boy being injured on 23 January 2026. Officers told Black Current News they are reviewing mobile phone footage and CCTV. However, the child’s mother maintains that neither the police nor school are taking the incident seriously.
Racism and ‘poor’ staff relationships factors in maternity care failings, report finds
An interim government-commissioned review has found maternity services in England are failing “too many” families, with problems at every stage of care. Baroness Amos identified racism, poor staff relationships, capacity pressures, and a lack of accountability among six key factors. Black and Asian women were found to face higher risks of adverse outcomes, with families describing trauma, discrimination and inconsistent care.
Government to review racial bias risks as jury trials face axe in major court shake-up
The UK government will review whether replacing juries with judge-only trials increases racial bias, as part of sweeping court reforms aimed at tackling the record criminal case backlog. The move follows concerns that axing juries for thousands of cases could disproportionately impact Black defendants, who previous findings showed had greater confidence in jury trials. Read our explainer here.
What else we’re reading
Modern slavery reports in London have risen by almost 10% in a year
Antiques auction selling neck shackles accused of ‘profiting from slavery’
Drop in overseas workers is ‘car crash’ for UK hospitals and care homes, say experts
Met police to pilot facial recognition identity checks, mayor confirms, while critics brand move ‘alarming’
Man charged after Churchill statue daubed with “Zionist war criminal” graffiti in Parliament Square
British woman who reported rape in Hong Kong may face prison
Jamaica’s PM Holness raises concern over 24% decline in Jamaica’s birth rate
‘She isn’t sorry’: is anyone rooting for Tyra Banks now? Eight things you need to know
Sickle Cell Society exhibition returns
Our Journey, Our Story: History and Memory of Sickle Cell Anaemia in Britain 1950 - 2020 returns.
Originally launched at Black Cultural Archives in 2021, the exhibition continues to share the history and lived experiences behind sickle cell advocacy in Britain.
Black Current News is now an award-winning independent news platform
On Wednesday, 25 February 2025, Black Current News became an award-winning independent news platform after founder Nadine White won the Writing Excellence award at the UK Black Comms Network Trailblazer Awards, held at Kindred in West London.
The award recognises excellence in communications and storytelling, acknowledging Nadine’s work launching and leading Black Current News, alongside 14 years of holding power to account and journalism centring Black stories in Britain.
The evening brought together leaders across media and communications. For us, the recognition marks an important milestone in our early growth and affirms the demand for independent, Black-led journalism rooted in clarity and accountability.
Got a news tip or story idea? Submit it via this form. Reader feedback and corrections are welcomed separately here.