Salford's Jackie Kay CBE to feature in major BBC One series

The current long-term Writer in Residence is a subject for the BBC’s In My Own Words series.

Jackie’s standalone episode will air on Monday 23 September and according to the BBC, will feature both intimate first-person testimony and archive footage to tell her unique journey to becoming ‘one of Britain’s most loved and lauded poets.’

The story will recount her life from being born to a Scottish mother and Nigerian father to then being adopted as a baby by active Communist Party members Helen and Jon Kay, whose passion for politics and a fairer society fuelled Jackie’s path in life and her writing.

Jackie will reflect on her journey to becoming an award-winning poet and the Scots Makar, the National Poet for Scotland.

She will recount the adversity she has experienced, from childhood racism to the long and emotional journey to finding her birth parents and the process of grieving her much-loved adoptive parents.

The 45-minute episode will air at 10.40pm on BBC One and will be available to watch back on BBC iPlayer after airing.

The five-part series also features acclaimed comedian and writer Billy Connolly, author Jilly Cooper & playwright and screenwriter Hanif Kureishi and artist Alison Lapper.

Jackie’s latest poetry collection May Day was released in April 2024. The collection, which casts an eye over several decades of political activism was nominated for the Poetry Award at this year’s Sky Arts Awards.

Coorie Doon, a Scottish lullaby story, accompanied by illustrations from award-winning illustrator Jill Cader, is Jackie’s next book and will be published by Walker Books in January 2025.