Sky News today announces Windrush and Us, a new documentary exploring the experiences of the third generation of Windrush descendants, hosted by Trevor Phillips.

Marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush in Britain in 1948, Windrush and Us will look back at the period of Caribbean migration, the adventurous spirit of those who came, and the significant contribution they have made to British society. As a second generation Windrush descendant himself, Trevor takes a deeper look at the present, exploring themes of identity and belonging with younger generations of Windrush descendants.

Released ahead of the 75th Windrush anniversary on the 22nd June, the documentary features interviews with Black Britons including DJ and Presenter Trevor Nelson, author Tomiwa Owolade, musician Hak Baker, author, TV presenter and journalist Candice Brathwaite and professional vocal coaches David and Carrie Grant.

Trevor Phillips, Sky News Journalist and host of Windrush and Us, said: “The Windrush generation brought with them energy, culture and traditions that have irrevocably shaped every aspect of British life. While attention is rightly on the injustices they continue to face, it is important that we also tell the stories of how their aspirations have come to fruition in the generations since.”

Cristina Nicolotti Squires, Director of Content for Sky News, said: “Windrush Day marks a defining moment in our history, and as ever, Sky News is giving people the chance to get to the heart of the story. Trevor’s exceptional journalism will take audiences on an exploration of the ongoing impact of Windrush in our society, telling stories from generation to generation.”

Windrush and Us will premiere on Tuesday 20th June at 8pm on Sky Documentaries and Sky Showcase, and on Wednesday 21st June at 8pm on Sky News (Freeview channel 233, Virgin 603, BT 313, Sky 501). It will also rerun on Sky News on Saturday 24th June and Sunday 25th June at 9pm and will be available to watch on Sky Documentaries On Demand from 8pm on 20th June.

The documentary is part of Sky’s ongoing commitment to using its scale and platforms to tell diverse stories. Recently, this has included Aquaphobia: Myths, stereotypes & barriers, a four-part documentary by British Olympian, Alice Dearing, exploring the barriers to swimming for Black and Asian communities; and David James: The One and Only with David James, the only Black goalkeeper to have represented England at a senior level.

About Windrush and Us

Windrush and Us is an hour-long documentary hosted by Trevor Phillips to mark the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush’s arrival in Britain, and the period of Caribbean migration that followed.

In this film, Trevor Phillips - himself a second generation Windrush descendant - looks back at the adventurous spirit of those who came, and the hugely significant contribution they made to British society. But also uses this landmark anniversary to take a deeper look at the present and explore themes of identity and belonging with the younger (third) generation of Windrush descendants who have come of age since the last significant anniversary of Windrush at 50 in 1998.

At the heart of this film are the people of Windrush. Trevor meets one of the two last surviving passengers from the ship and talks to young descendants who are shaping their own narrative in black Britain. He meets DJ Trevor Nelson who reveals his shock at discovering the truth about his own family history and also speaks to Carrie and David Grant about the realities of being a mixed-race family in Britain.

25 years ago, Trevor Phillips explored the Windrush legacy with a book and film which brought this piece of history into public consciousness. A quarter of a century on, his new film shows how Windrush has not only changed Britain but shaped us all.