Oh dear. A handful of viewers have been venting their spleens online, following a rather cheeky casting choice by Channel 4. On Thursday evening, the much-discussed Prince Andrew: The Musical debuted on our screens – but it was Munya Chawawa who stole the show.
Channel 4 cast Black Prince Charles in musical comedy
The comedian and TV presenter, who has seen a number of his parody videos go viral, was selected to play Prince Charles in the show. Chawawa, of Zimbabwean heritage, made the role his own – and angered a few sensitive viewers in the process.
Though some have questioned if a musical comedy about a man accused of sexual assault is in good taste, the controversial romp has received somewhat positive reviews overnight. Kieran Hodgson has also been praised for his depiction of the titular disgraced royal.
Ofcom could expect a few calls soon…
So, the critics are content – but a non-insignificant number of telly-watching Brits really are not. Maybe a few of them just aren’t that familiar with Chawawa’s repertoire of impersonations. Others, perhaps, may have missed the point of satire entirely.
Here are a few of the more incandescent reactions…
- “So Channel 4’s comedy ‘Prince Andrew’ has an actor portraying Prince Charles as 50% Black. Typical Monarch hating Broadcaster!”
- “How come they cast a black man as Prince Charles? Imagine Channel 4 casting a white guy to play a famous black historical figure.”
- “Was quite enjoying prince Andrew the musical until Prince Charles’ skin colour had been changed. Why oh why?“
- “Woke for woke sake! Did this actor get the job because he was black, what happened to White Charles with blue blood?”
- “Sorry. Since when was Prince Charles black/brown?”
Munya Chawawa as Prince Charles – you better believe it!
Prince Andrew: The Musical is now streaming on All 4. Plenty of viewers enjoyed their experience, and ultimately supported the subversive casting decision. However, this is probably the best reaction of the lot: