Ainsley Harriott thinks it is "wonderful" to see more diversity on television.
Ainsley Harriott is happy to see more diversity on TV
The 67-year-old star - who has adult children Maddie and Jimmy with ex-wife Clare Fellows - admitted the broader range of faces on the small screen has come as a "surprise" to his generation but he is delighted to see how things have changed since he became the first black chef to make it on UK TV.
He told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "For us it’s different because we grew up without it. And now it’s there. There’s gradually been change, not only in TV commercials, but in dramas, and it’s a reflection of everyday life.
"For the older generation, it’s a bit of a surprise, but for the younger generation we’re normalising it. I think it’s wonderful, and it’s a real positivity – and long may it last!’
"My daughter’s a young woman in her 30s, and she turned round and said, 'Dad, it’s not for you, it’s for the next generation.' It slowly becomes normal."
The former 'Ready Steady Cook' host admitted he had experienced "adversity" when he went for jobs when he was younger so he is delighted to see change in the public eye.
He added: "There were some who didn’t want a black chef fronting their restaurants and you had to deal with that.’
"When [TV] came along it was the perfect opportunity to lay a platform.
"There was youth coming through, not only black people, but chefs coming through that a black kid, a person of colour, could identify with that and make them feel a lot more positive about being in the industry and having the opportunities.
"It’s happening in football and in cricket. It’s fabulous when you go to a match, everyone is getting on and they just want to win.
"It doesn’t matter what colour you are or where you’re from. It’s not about the colour of your skin.
"It’s all about the sport and that feeling of being part of a team, being part of something that brings people together."
Tagged in Ainsley Harriott