I Was In The Room When It Happened | BAFTAs, Racism & What Nobody Said

In this episode of The Marvyn Harrison Podcast, three guests — Richie Brave, Manga St Hilaire, Nii Odarte and Rehema Muthamia sit down for one of the most wide-ranging conversations we've had. The BAFTA N-word incident is dissected by someone who was actually in the auditorium when it happened. Richard shares his experience of childhood racism as a seven-year-old child actor, beaten and called the hard-R by his own chaperones. Rehema, the first Black African woman to win Miss England, talks about the racist abuse that followed her title, from doorstep journalists to being called Miss KFC, and how surviving an abusive relationship at 21 led her to reclaim her story publicly. Manga opens up about becoming a father for the first time, his journey from Roll Deep to hosting Red Bull's Mike Flex, and why grime's open-door culture is both its greatest strength and its structural weakness. The conversation moves through code-switching, carnival lineage, boarding school in Kenya, the importance of male friendship circles, meeting Prince William, and why Black men who speak with emotional clarity are constantly underestimated.

Welcome to The Marvyn Harrison Podcast — a story-driven conversation exploring identity, fatherhood, masculinity, relationships, culture, politics, sport, and modern life.

In each episode, Marvyn Harrison sits down with leading thinkers, creatives, athletes, policymakers, and cultural voices to unpack the defining moments that shaped them. Through image prompts, structured storytelling, and revealing game segments, guests explore pivotal memories, career turning points, personal struggles, and the beliefs that guide their decisions today.

Expect honest discussions on mental health, family dynamics, leadership, equity, ambition, resilience, and the realities of navigating success in Britain and beyond.

This is a podcast about clarity, where lived experience meets sharp cultural insight.

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