Entertainment

Jordan Banjo reflects on George Floyd’s death one year on

The dancer turned presenter said ‘nothing can start without a conversation, and that is happening’.
The dancer turned presenter said ‘nothing can start without a conversation, and that is happening’.

Diversity star Jordan Banjo has said that, one year on, the death of George Floyd proves there is “a long way to go” in terms of racial equality.

Tuesday marked the anniversary of Mr Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis and famous names including talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton shared messages online.

Speaking ahead of the Audio and Radio Industry Awards in London, Banjo told the PA news agency: “It is a hard thing to try and judge and a hard thing to try and gauge.

Audio and Radio Industry Awards
Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely arriving for the Audio and Radio Industry Awards (Aaron Chown/PA)

“I would say last year, from all the positives and love that came out of it, as well as all the negatives and scary stuff that came out of it, it just showed that as people we just have a long way to go – to learn more, to understand more.

“But I do feel like, if anything, it has also shown that we are on the right track because with that conversations have started and that is all you can ask for.

“Nothing can change, nothing can start without a conversation, and that is happening.

“So the way I see it, we are on the right path. Fingers crossed things continue to get better and better.

“You think about the moment that happened a year ago yesterday and it is still horrifying, it is still scary, it is still hard to get your head around.

“But like I said, some good has come of it – a conversation has started. So fingers crossed we are in a better place.”

Banjo was speaking alongside his Kiss co-host Perri Kiely at the Arias, where they are nominated in two categories – best new show and moment of the year.

The duo, who are also hosting the event, secured a nod for the latter category for Kiely’s on-air reaction to Diversity’s Black Lives Matter-inspired performance on Britain’s Got Talent.