A major shift is happening behind the scenes in the U.K.’s screen industry—and it’s long overdue.
Sky, Channel 4, The BBC, ITV, and Prime Video are among the major players backing a new initiative designed to tackle one of the industry’s most persistent issues: the lack of trained hair and make-up professionals equipped to work with textured hair and deeper skin tones.
The Textured Hair & Make-up for Deep Skin-Tones Accelerator, launched by Dandi in partnership with the TriForce Creative Network, is aiming to turn guidelines into real, on-set change.
Because despite years of conversations around inclusion, the numbers haven’t moved enough—71% of actors from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds still report that productions can’t meet their hair and make-up needs.
And that’s not just an inconvenience—it directly impacts performance, confidence, and authenticity on screen.
From Guidelines to Real Access
The Accelerator builds on the 2025 Hair & Make-Up Equity Guidelines, shifting the focus from awareness to execution. This isn’t theory-based. It’s hands-on.
Participants will receive:
- In-person masterclass training in textured hair and deep skin-tone make-up
- Online career development sessions
- Access to industry employers
- Paid placements on high-end TV productions
- Two years of continued career support
The goal is simple: create a pipeline of professionals who are actually prepared for real production environments.
Training the Next Wave of HMU Talent
The program will roll out across two regions in 2026: North West (Manchester) – June sessions at Space Studios and South West (Bristol) – September sessions at Bottle Yard Studios
Each course will select just 10 participants, split across three tracks:
- Elevate – new entrants with transferable skills
- Evolve – mid-career HMU professionals
- Equip – working crew needing upskilling
And once they complete the program, participants are added to the TriForce Creative Network’s talent pool—giving them visibility and real pathways into jobs.
Why This Actually Matters
This initiative is addressing something the industry has historically treated as an afterthought. For years, Black actors in the U.K. have had to:
- Come to set early to do their own hair
- Teach stylists how to work with their texture
- Or show up prepared with tutorials just to get through the day
That’s not just unprofessional—it’s inequitable. As Dandi CEO Fraser Ayres put it: “Inclusive styling is essential, not optional.”
And this program is one of the clearest examples of the industry putting actual structure behind that statement.
What makes this different is the backing. This isn’t a small, isolated effort—it’s being supported by major networks and streamers, including Prime Video through its Pathway initiative, which previously piloted a similar program in Scotland.
Translation: there’s real investment behind making this stick.
Because representation doesn’t stop at casting—it extends to every department that shapes what ends up on screen.