Pauline Henriques on early British television

In 1946, Jamaican-born actor Pauline Henriques became the first Black woman to act on British television. She played Hattie Harris in a live BBC drama, at a time when British television offered few substantial roles to Black performers.

This episode of Echoes of Brighton’s Past looks back at that breakthrough. Pauline later became Britain’s first Black woman magistrate and made her home in Brighton.

Read the full story of Pauline Henriques and her Brighton connection.

Listen to the episode on Spotify.