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Holby City's Tyler Luke Cunningham and Jo Martin talk about "honest dialogue" on trans issues

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

From Digital Spy

Holby City stars Tyler Luke Cunningham and Jo Martin have opened up about having an "honest dialogue" about trans issues in the wake of their current storyline.

Tyler, who is trans, joined the soap a few months ago as Louis, the son of Jo's character Max.

In tonight's (June 9) episode, he joins Holby as a staff regular, though Max struggles to accept him following his transition without her knowledge, after previously leaving home.

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

Appearing on today's (June 9) Good Morning Britain, both Tyler and Jo spoke about the importance of talking honestly about trans issues, and how Tyler's real-life experiences influenced their own characters.

"Meeting Tyler, he's so open," Jo remarked. "I think people can sometimes be a bit nervous, like, 'Am I going to say the wrong thing?' It's cool, ask questions. And Tyler has been so open about his life and his experience, which is informing his character and helping my character too. It's been quite something. I'm so happy to be working with him."

Speaking about the progress that has been made with trans issues, Tyler noted: "We live in an ever-changing world, and that allows people before me, like me, everybody that plays a part in the media in general, we have a lot of people to look up to now. So it's about finding the correct role models and finding the right ways about speaking about things.

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

"It's not what you say, it's how you say it. Freedom of speech is a great thing, and everybody should be allowed to say what they want to say, but there will be consequences. However, you do have to honestly ask questions to get the correct answers, otherwise you'll never know."

Jo also stressed the importance of having an "honest dialogue" about such issues, recalling her own experiences of racial discrimination.

"That's the bottom line," she said. "It does have to be raw with an honest dialogue, do you know what I mean? There are things that are changing rapidly, but also change is so slow. But at this current time, I feel that without honest dialogue all will be lost. And owning up to stuff.

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

"I've been in situations where I haven't spoken up where I should have spoken. Sometimes someone will say something racist to you. It's not overtly racist, they don't realise. You feel embarrassed. You don't want to make them uncomfortable by calling them out and saying, 'That was really weird, that made me feel like this.'

"There's been many a time, and I'm sure many a Black person can say this, where they've had to suck it up, go into a bathroom somewhere, have a little cry, dry up and come out and face it. We can't do that, so we also have to play our part as well as white people."

Holby City continues tonight (June 9) at 8pm on BBC One.


For more information on how you can support Black Lives Matter, please visit its official website or donate here. Readers can also donate to the UK anti-discrimination group Stand Up To Racism, and the Unite Families & Friends Campaign, which supports those affected by deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody.


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