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Simon Schama has anticipated criticism surrounding his upcoming BBC series, Simon Schama’s Story of Us. The historian has explored British society’s cultural evolution since 1945.
The 79-year-old historian anticipates accusations of "wokeness" over certain aspects of the series, particularly its portrayal of The Beatles.
"They’ll say he’s rewritten the Beatles’ story in order to make it more ethnically friendly," Simon said, defending the series against potential backlash.
"But this is an unknown corner of the Beatles’ origin story, and it’s factually correct," he continued, stressing the importance of accuracy in today’s age of misinformation.
Simon told Radio Times: "The internet is a kind of a reverse matchmaker. It creates anger because horrible, screaming arguments are clickbait in a way in which reconciliation and listening to each other are not.
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"Every week the division makers go hunting for issues to create rage, and that does seem to me an awful turn of events."
The three-part documentary delves into how art and culture captured societal shifts in Britain, starting with the post-war optimism reflected in the 1951 Festival of Britain. However, it also highlights how a unified British identity began to fragment with the rise of diverse voices.
The BBC synopsis for the series reads: "Historian Simon Schama explores how art and culture has captured the transformations of British society since 1945.
"Although the post-war years saw a shared optimism, expressed in the 1951 Festival of Britain, Simon discovers how a common British identity slowly fragmented as different and sometimes clashing voices emerged.
"Writers like Alan Sillitoe depicted working-class life with new authority, while artists like Pauline Boty reflected a new mood of sexual frankness.
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"The evangelical Christian Festival of Light fought back against what its leaders viewed as a rising tide of filth, but nothing could stop competing voices from being heard – first on TV, in what were known as ‘open access’ programmes, and today on social media."
David Attenborough, 98, also features in the series, with Simon reflecting on how the broadcaster helped open BBC Two.
"David Attenborough was quite shy about saying it was his idea," Simon revealed. He added that the team behind the series was "very careful" to credit others at the BBC for their roles.
Simon Schama’s Story of Us promises to offer a thought-provoking exploration of British culture and society, with its first episode set to air soon.
