ITV Pridecast with James Penfold on ITV Pride Day
James Penfold: We all have a Heartstopper. Mine was Beautiful Thing
Today is ITV Pride Day and to mark the day, Liam chats with ITV Pride’s new Executive Chair, James Penfold in this month's Pridecast. After taking over the role from Matt Scarf, James discusses how he hopes to support LGBTQ+ colleagues across the company. He also shares his thoughts on why having a dedicated Pride Day at ITV is not only about celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, but also acts as an important reminder that progress in society is still needed, and ITV can play its part in this.
James also reflects on how TV can play an incredible role in helping people embrace their identity. He discusses how the Netflix hit, Heartstopper is doing that for so many young people today. He says it was the 1996 romcom, Beautiful Thing that allowed him to have the conversation about his sexuality with his family, and that TV is a great way of opening up those discussions.
During the conversation James talks about his day-to-day role as Controller of Partnerships and how he works on new opportunities around some of ITV’s most famous brands, including set tours on shows like Coronation Street and Emmerdale. He also discusses how he’s looking into the potential opportunities for Schitt’s Creek and allowing the viewer to immerse themselves into the experience beyond their TV sets.
Listen to the podcast on the following platforms: