“Growing up at the end of the 1970s, I was football-mad. It was all I wanted to do but if you said come and watch England at Wembley, as a black teenager I would have said no chance.” – Ian Wright
This new two-part series fronted by Ian Wright marks a history-defining moment in English football – 40 years since Viv Anderson became the first black footballer to win a full cap for the England national team.
Featuring key contributions from England manager Gareth Southgate, Ashley Cole, Les Ferdinand and Paul Ince, the series charts the rise of black footballers in Britain through individual players’ stories, combining fresh interviews with rare archive footage to provide a unique insight into how English sporting heritage and social culture has changed. Starting in the 1970s when Anderson and his contemporaries burst on to the scene, Out of Their Skin tells in depth the story of the progress made by ethnic minority footballers across five decades up to today with a look at the challenges still being faced in 2018.
It focuses on some of English football’s black heroes and pioneers – with vivid and often emotional recollections of their personal experiences from Chelsea’s first black player Paul Canoville, who was abused by his own fans, as well as John Barnes and Paul Ince, who have both said being black can hinder a manager’s ability to get a job – and the way their stories changed the ‘beautiful game’ in this country for good.
Also featured are contemporary players Rhian Brewster and Raheem Sterling, who reflect on the impact their heroes had on the game, and the challenge football still faces to overcome racism today. Part 1 of 2 Out of Their Skin airs on Tuesday 27th November 10pm on ITV4
