Idris Elba doesn’t want television episodes that could be offensive to viewers censored. Elba said he’s not a believer in censorship because storytellers “should be allowed to say what we want to say.” But, he does recognize a need for acknowledging when series have offended viewers.
Complex reports that in a recent Radio Times interview, Elba said he is “very much a believer in freedom of speech.” But, he continued, what is true of freedom of speech “is that it’s not suitable for everybody. That’s why we have a rating system, we tell you this particular content is rated U, PG, 15, 18.”
“To mock the truth, you have to know the truth,” he continued, referencing TV shows that have been censored or removed from streaming services, such as UK television series Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, as well as American series like 30 Rock, the American adaptation of The Office and Community. “But to censor racist themes within a show, to pull it…I think viewers should know that people made shows like this.”
“Out of respect for the time and the movement, commissioners and archive-holders pulling things they think are exceptionally [offensive] at this time–fair enough and good for you. But I think, moving forward, people should know that freedom of speech is accepted, but the audience should know what they’re getting into.”
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