on BBC1 tonight at 10:35 there is a programme called 'make me white'

BBC One has announced plans to screen a one-off documentary which follows those who want to have lighter skin.

The One Show presenter Anita Rani will front Make Me White when it airs later this summer.

The 40-minute programme sees Rani meet women and men who have embarked on a quest for lighter skin, as well as look at products and companies behind the market.

Pressures within her own Asian community are explored and health risks are highlighted as the show reveals the extent of damage illegal products can cause.

"I have never understood why fair equals beautiful because I love being brown," said Rani. "Through this film, I will find out where this pressure to change your skin colour is coming from."



Skin lightening is big business. The market for cosmetics to lighten darker skin is now reported to be worth millions of pounds; Anita Rani (presenter of Watchdog and The One Show) is on a journey to find out why. Starting in her own family, with her mother's preference for lighter skin, she explores the pressures within the Asian community that lead a growing number of people to want to "lighten up".

Anita says: "I have never understood why fair equals beautiful because I love being brown. Through this film, I want to find out where this pressure to change your skin colour is coming from."

Illegal cosmetics are available under the counter in Asian and Afro-Caribbean shops up and down the country. Many illegal creams contain banned chemicals which pose health risks and can cause irreversible damage. Anita goes undercover to see how readily available they are, and she meets one woman who regrets ever using them.

She takes a hard look at the businesses that make money on the promise of lightening dark skin, and tackles the cosmetic distributors and lifestyle magazines that promote and advertise skin lightening products.

Finally, Anita tests one of the legal leading brand skin lightening products for herself. Will it work?








so supposedly she's going to be trying some super product ah can't wait to see the results!
hope this is of intrest guys lol

MAHARANI

Well I won't bother trying to look it up, then. I doubted that they would be promoting any products because there would bound to be complaints from lightening "haters". The BBc is famous for receiving complaints and as it obtains it's money from TV licence payers, they are careful about what programmes they put out. It's a Shame really.

Golden_Girl

lol...hmmm I wonder when they'll be advertising their "don't tan or use fake tanners" specials....

MAHARANI

Talking of tv programmes, have just been watching a programme on channel 4 "the event. How racist are you?" and this white teacher said that a black child slipped on the floor at school and scraped her face. She said she was surprised to see that the scraped area was pink underneath. I can't believe that in the year 2009, that someone would be so ignorant. I mean she is a teacher, for heavens sake !!

shazamataz

I know this is a little off topic but where I live they are trying to ban tanning beds because a young girl got cancer from tanning so much, there was a documentary about it, very sad

Golden_Boy

True, why is there not any recent programs about tanning causing DEADLY cancer, yet there are now tv programs about people getting cosmetically damaged skin they can live with from using too many lightening creams all from Africa and/or with hydroquinone poison???

MAHARANI

Well over here, there is no way they would be able to totally ban it, as it is such big business. Maybe due to the good old fashioned British weather LOL. Although I don't think our weather is that bad. I mean, it hardly rained during the summer and it was even mentioned how dry the ground was. But they are trying to ban the self service tanning booths , which are coin operated and do not require an operator to be present. It was due to young girls going on them and ignoring the age restrictions, the time limits suggested for skin types and the frequency and a girl got burned really badly. If it hadn't have been a young girl, I doubt they would have made a fuss off it. To be honest , I think people will always take risks in the pursuit of "beauty".

Gr8stuff

OMG...this is outrageous!! What was she expecting?

Golden_Girl

wow. That's sad and tanning beds should be banned then, they have always been scary to me as though people may get trapped in them and become cooked. But, rarely I hear anything focused on tanning beds as much. maybe if people write to BBC and notify them on those topics too.

MAHARANI

Golden_Girl,

You reminded me of that horror film, I think it was final destination when those two girls get trapped on the tanning beds and get burned alive. Really horrible scene !!!

Golden_Girl

...oh how scarry!! To me I would think being closed in like that would be like trapped in a highly-lit coffin. I'm glad I never saw the final desitination films..well I did see like 15 min. of one of them then I had to turn, too much for me.