The BBC has faced criticism for its “incredibly stupid” decision regarding the casting of Black actors in the historical drama The Wolves’ Den.

The controversy has intensified following statements from the show’s producers claiming that the move was supported by the late author Hilary Mantel, who passed away in 2022.

*Mirror and Light* is the television adaptation of Mantel’s final book in *The Wolves’ Den* trilogy, which will air on BBC1 this Sunday. It features several Black actors in prominent roles, playing “very important parts” in the drama.

The series is set in the Tudor period. The lead roles include Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, Damian Lewis as Henry VIII, and Maisie Richardson-Sellers, a London-born actress of Hawaiian descent, as Lady Bes Othred. Egyptian-British actor Amir El-Masry plays the poet and politician Thomas Wyatt.

Criticism over the “colorblind casting” has been led by “colored” fans, who pointed out that this trend began after the release of *Bridgerton* in 2020, where Black actors were cast in leading roles for the first time in a period drama.

Black writer and artist Sonya Douglas wrote on social media, “The dumbest thing is that *Bridgerton* is considered top-tier historical drama. Everyone suffers: the actors, the plot, the audience, the author, and future generations are confronted with a simplified, multicultural version of England. There were many non-white Tudors who could have been showcased to enlighten, inform, and entertain.”

Another critic noted, “The BBC is essentially saying that Black history isn’t interesting, so we’ll rewrite it as if white people were always present.”