It was as she received the Bafta fellowship earlier this year that Baroness Floella Benjamin recalled how she was warned to “shut up or she would never work again”.
The beloved children’s presenter, 74, known to millions of Britons as the host of BBC children’s TV shows Play School and Play Away, was honoured at the annual television awards.
As she collected the highest honour from the television academy, she said: 'I feel blessed as I stand on the summit of the life’s mountain, looking back at my adventurous journey sparkled with affection, but also with challenges and adversities.
'I’ve been told ‘shut up, or you’ll never work again’ when I spoke out. But my mission over the last 50 years has been to get broadcasters and organisations to have diversity and inclusion in their DNA, paving the way for future generations.
'I am so proud of my work for children, making them feel loved, confident, hopeful, worthy, as I took them through the windows of imagination, inspiring to grow up and make a difference for others.'
Lady Benjamin was born in Trinidad before emigrating to the UK as a ten-year-old and she has several stage musical credits to her name, including Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Black Mikado.
She is an author and charity campaigner, and in 2010 was introduced to the House of Lords and given the full title of Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham in the County of Kent after being nominated by the Liberal Democrats.
She collected her damehood for her services to charity at Buckingham Palace in 2020.
Lady Benjamin has also chaired the Windrush commemoration committee and has advocated for tax relief of children’s TV in the House of Lords.
Her 1995 memoir Coming To England was adapted into an award-winning TV movie.
Recalling the day she received the news, she told us that she had been checking emails and saw one from Bafta, explaining: 'It was the most incredible letter that said that Bafta had unanimously decided to offer me the Bafta Fellowship, their highest accolade, and it couldn’t go to anyone better.
'And lo and behold, I had to keep on reading. I said to my husband, ‘you won’t believe it’. I kept on reading it and reading it thinking they must have made a mistake. I’ve just been floating ever since.
'Every day I wake up and I say, ‘take me, show me, lead me, I’m yours world’. My mission in life is to make a difference, to break down those barriers.
'I don’t do things for myself. Because if I was thinking of myself, I wouldn’t do half the things that I’ve done, because I’ve had to be outspoken, I’ve had to challenge people.
'I’ve always done it with a smile, I’ve always made them see the other side of what they’re missing.'
She added: 'When I was on Play School, all the illustrations were all of white children. I said to the producers, ‘Can’t we have some black and Asian and Chinese faces? And they said, ‘Oh, my goodness, we hadn’t noticed’.
'That’s when I realised way back in the 70s that I had to get people to realise what’s missing and to make that difference.'
And Lady Benjamin, who is one of six siblings, continues to try to make the difference. While on stage at annual television awards, she still offered a call to action.
'I believe everyone in our industry has that same responsibility, as we are privileged to be able to influence society’s thinking and behaviour, which in turn affects the nation’s children,' she told the audience.
'So it’s important that we provide high quality regulated content that reflects children’s lives, no matter where or how they’re watching.
'Our industry is in turmoil, facing new technology, mental health issues, cuts, unemployment. The Government must provide creative survival solutions as we navigate this rapidly changing landscape.
'Oh, how I wish my beloved mum and dad were alive to celebrate this part of my family’s Windrush journey.'
