When are the Unsaid Stories shorts on ITV – and what are they about?
Adelayo Adedayo, Nicholas Pinnock, Paapa Essiedu, and Joe Cole are among the stars in this series of short films inspired by Black Lives Matter.
Nicholas Pinnock (Top Boy) and Joe Cole (Gangs of London) are among the star-studded cast who appear in ITV's Unsaid Stories, a series of short films inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement.
The stories include a conversation between two former flames, a black woman and a white man; a black father and daughter discussing Black Lives Matter; and a light-skinned, mixed-race woman confronting her own mother's colourism.
ITV's Head of Drama Polly Hill said of the commission: “The scripts are unique, fresh and engaging, about real people in completely real situations, confronting and exploring racism and prejudice. I hope in some small way each of these films will bring about change.”
When is Unsaid Stories on TV?
The series of short films (each 15 minutes long) air on 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th August 2020 on ITV, at 9pm Monday-Thursday.
Unsaid Stories – cast and episodes
The four short films all tackle racism and its many forms, from unconscious bias to racial profiling by police. Here are details of the episodes, who wrote them, who stars in them, and when each of them air on ITV:
Generational
Air date: 9pm, Monday 10th August, ITV
Writer: Jerome Bucchan-Nelson (Bulletproof, EastEnders)
Generational stars Nicholas Pinnock (Top Boy) as Oliver, a father who discovers his 16-year-old daughter Justina, played by Yasmin Monet Prince (Hanna) is sneaking out - only to discover that she's going to a Black Lives Matter protest. We later learn he has every reason to persuade her not to attend.
I Don’t Want to Talk About This
Air date: 9pm, Tuesday 11th August, ITV
Writer: Anna Ssemuyaba (Guerilla, On The Verge)
This episode stars The Capture's Adelayo Adedayo opposite Gangs of London star Joe Cole; they respectively play a middle class black woman and her ex-boyfriend, a working class white man. They bump into each other and start a candid dialogue about the issues their relationship faced, including racism.
Look At Me
Air date: 9pm, Wednesday 12th August, ITV
Writer: Lynette Linton (Bush Theature artistic director)
This short film sees Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) and Pippa Bennett-Warner (Gangs of London) play Nicola and Michael, a successful couple who are stopped by police when they drive out to a date. "We witness the fallout of this event, as we see the change in them from before the incident and the impact it has on them individually and as a couple."
Lavender
Air date: 9pm, Thursday 13th August, ITV
Writer: Nicôle Lecky (Superhoe, Ackley Bridge)
The final episode in the Unsaid Stories series is written by and stars Nicôle Lecky. It focuses on a light-skinned, mixed race woman who gives birth to a baby with dark skin, leading to a conversation about colourism with her white mother, played by Amanda Abbington (Sherlock).
How did they film Unsaid Stories in lockdown?
The 15-minute films were commissioned, written, filmed and edited with an incredibly short turnaround time. Filming began on 27th July, with the first episode airing two weeks later.
ITV said the shorts were produced "whilst adhering to the TV and film production guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of the cast and crew."
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