
Acting
David Olusoga
Born 1970-01-01 · Lagos, Nigeria
David Adetayo Olusoga OBE is a British historian, writer, broadcaster, presenter and film-maker. He is Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester. He has presented historical documentaries on the BBC and contributed to The One Show and The Guardian.
Acting credits
NRMarking what would have been Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th year, this landmark documentary tells the story of her life alongside a century of momentous change in Britain. Through archive and eyewitness reflections, the film explores how she led the monarchy through profound social, political and cultural change. Contributions from some of Britain’s best-known faces and international figures, including Dame Helen Mirren, Sir David Attenborough, Barack Obama and Queen Camilla, reveal how she remained a constant in a changing world.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century
2026
1.0At its peak, The Black and White Minstrel Show was watched by a Saturday night audience of more than 20 million people. David Harewood goes on a mission to understand the roots of this strange, intensely problematic cultural form: where did the show come from, and what made it popular for so long? With the help of historians, actors and musicians, David uncovers how, at its core, blackface minstrelsy was simply an attempt to make racism into an art form - and can be traced back to a name and a date.
David Harewood on Blackface
2023
Chronicling the felling of the statue of Edward Colston-a 17th Century slave trader-during a Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol, England, and how this act of rebellion made waves across the UK and the World.
The Felling of Colston
2021
1.0David Olusoga explores the incredible journey of the African novel – how a fearless collection of writers created books that were to define the image of Africa in the world.
Africa Turns the Page: The Novels That Shaped a Continent
2020
10.0David Olusoga opens secret government files to show how the Windrush scandal and the ‘hostile environment’ for black British immigrants has been 70 years in the making.
The Unwanted: The Secret Windrush Files
2019
7.0Using modern technology and esteemed historians, The People's Piazza tells the story of the iconic Covent Garden Piazza, through stories of it's residents and the ever changing landscape.
The People's Piazza: A History of Covent Garden
2022
As we emerge from a global pandemic that has turned our world upside down, David Olusoga explores the hidden history of the nurses, doctors and health workers who, for more than 70 years, have been coming to Britain from overseas to serve in the NHS. Without them the NHS would have been in danger of collapse - not least during the current COVID crisis - but from the very start the story of this beloved British institution has been intertwined with one of the most divisive social and political issue of the age, immigration. The people who came to this country to work in the NHS have found themselves fighting battles they neither sought nor expected.
Our NHS: A Hidden History
2021
NRDuring the Second World War, thousands of men and women from the Caribbean colonies volunteered to come to Britain to join the fight against Hitler. They risked their lives for king and empire, but their contribution has largely been forgotten. Some of the last surviving Caribbean veterans tell their extraordinary wartime stories - from torpedo attacks by German U-boats and the RAF's blanket-bombing of Germany to the culture shock of Britain's freezing winters and war-torn landscapes. This brave sacrifice confronted the pioneers from the Caribbean with a lifelong challenge - to be treated as equals by the British government and the British people. With vivid first-hand testimony, observational documentary and rare archive footage, the programme gives a unique perspective on the Second World War and the history of 20th-century Britain.
Fighting for King and Empire: Britain's Caribbean Heroes
2015