Spot on, lazy trash TV. There may be important points to address but TV shows like this have a different agenda. However, having worked in Blackburn for the last few years I can't help but notice that racial comments and blatent discrimination exist there like no other place I've personally experienced, from the white community who really do seem aggrieved at the extent of asian culture in the town, I've been shocked at the open racism and comments made. They tell me that's because I come from a different place and 'don't understand' and that many similar towns in the area are just the same. By that they mean Burnley, Bury, Bolton, Rochdale, Bradford etc. I know these are mainly Lancs and not Yorks but there is certainly a different feeling there, and not a nice feeling, towards a multicultural society than you would find in, say, the midlands with Leicester, Coventry, Birmingham etc Be interested to hear your take on that.

And it’s home to some of the greatest people around. Are any Northerners just total cunts?

Here here. They clearly realised they needed to fan the flames a bit so went for the 'Geordie Shore' tactic of plying them with booze and hoping someone said something inflammatory - cue the retired policeman...

Spot on, great article Keith.

Can only agree with Asim. Great article Keith-I've live in England for 26 years and Bradford is easily my favourite city.

You're way too sensitive, and sound like the ridiculous councillors spouting off in today's T&A.

I come from Dudley and I can empathise with a lot of what you say (and disagree with a lot of what programmes like this say). There's no point denying that in areas where they have been heavy immigration in the last few years that there has been some friction but largely between a minority of idiots and shows like this are neither examining or helping the problem.

Not that TV shows necessarily need to help social problems, but this show isn't particularly entertaining either.

david, spent the first 18 years of my life in Bradford, and have travelled to Leicester and Birmingham throughout my life as I have a lot of family, and must say that the racial prejudice that is spouted in Bradford on a constant basis is, frankly, disturbing. It doesn't exist in the same way in the Midlands, so I believe you right.

lot of family there *

I agree with some of your points about the programme itself, based on the first episode. To be fair though, I think that the second programme is going to be different. They're moving out of the Big Brother style house, and will be living in each other's communities- which I think will be worth watching. I get that it's very easy to have a chip on one's shoulder about hailing from Bradford (I was born in St Luke's hospital, and whenever I mention the city of my birth, I get some sort of smart comment from someone or other) however I think we should recognise that the programme’s themes aren’t just about Bradford; despite the show's setting, despite the title. There is widespread racial division across the country, there is some degree of self imposed segregation in pretty much every city across the land. I would be particularly disappointed if the programme makers didn’t make reference to this, and continue to place the emphasis on Bradford, as if it's some sort of one off, as if this isn't a national issue. I’d also question your inclusion of Bronte Country as being part of Bradford, though maybe I’m just being picky...

Well said. I've lived in Leeds, Bradford, Birmingham and London and the "tensions" that exist are evident between different communities in all those places, so why the focus for this is always Bradford I don't know. As hinted at in this article Bradford's problems in making the transition from a major economic player once it's main industries became out-dated have been deepened by piss-poor local government and national government indifference, not because people with different colour skin or religions live there.

Some great lines in there KW.

"And it’s home to some of the greatest people around. Are any Northerners just total cunts?" Yes,just like everywhere else

Cheers for the comments. I think there is a documentary to be made, but it's not this.

Excellent. Between you and Kate Wellham you've fucking nailed it.

Temple Newsam ? WTF was all that about ?

The Temple Newsam bit was the bit that grated the most. They couldn't have tried any harder to insult the city!

I thought so too - smacked of them saying "there isnt anywhere nice to take them in Bradford,so lets go to Leeds "!

I am from Northumberland but I choose to make Bradford my home. though I have to find work elsewhere. I have spent many

I drank my coffee while I read this. White, obviously, due to being such a massive racist.

Although there are many positive attributes to the Bradford district and its people (that do often get overlooked)there definitely is an issue of segregation here. Not just in terms of ethnicity, but also class. Manchester is another multicultural city, but the diversity and level of integration and consequential tolerance there is far far greater. After having lived in Manchester for 6 years, coming to back to Bradford was sadly shocking. Ethnicity and class where not as big an issue over there as everyone mixes together. Areas like Rusholme, Longsight and Levenshulme have largely transient communities where mixes of class, cultural and age constantly change. Bradford, on the other hand tends to have areas dominated by pre-dominately singular groups. Although I am used to and mix with many cultural, class and age groups, here in Bradford I sometimes feel like I don't belong to any of these group rather strangely. Probably because after living in a more integrated Manchester, I didn't identify myself with singular groups and so got used to not having culture, ethnicity, class etc as an issue but rather something you didn't think about. Here in Bradford, however, because people seem to stick more to 'their own' for some reason, it does become a more conscious thing. Bradford DOES need to integrate more. Those who deny this is an issue are not helping matters and contributing to the maintenance of segregated communities in Bradford. It was also interesting that no eastern European communities were present, or other European for that matter. There is a significant Italian community within the Bradford district however, no mention was made of this. Sorry, but Bradford Council, in constantly denying that there is a segregation issue in Bradford is just helping to reinforce that segregation. Councillor Greenwood may think he is on the moral high ground by deny the issue, but in my opinion he is unwittingly actually contributing to increased future problems for the city. Simply, Bradford DOES need greater balance of different groups - without that balance, sustainable communities will not be created.

I so didn't want to watch this programme I didn't. I feel richer for not having done so.

Jon, The Bronte's were born in Bradford. Thornton, which is a village in Bradford to be precise. They later moved to Haworth, which is in the Bradford Metropolitan area also. So where should we say the Bronte's lived and came from? Leeds, Halifax?

What Bradford needs is jobs. End of list, end of debate. Jobs. When a city has jobs - people are too busy working alongside each other to segregate, too busy getting on with life to get bored and cause mischief. I was born in 1970 into the textile trade and the mills of bradford were regular childhood stopovers on the mill wagon. It has always been a mix of people to me. Governments can do what they like to paper over the cracks - but the only thing that will save save Bradford is the tenner in your pocket. Buy British = Jobs Jobs = functioning communities If the clothes on your back are made abroad - you are the problem. Hope that helps.

While I thought the programme was the worst type of lowest common denominator television, it is disingenuous to suggest that there is no segregation. THere are cultural norms within different communities which are not shared across the city. As a (white, as it happens) incomer to the city over 20 years ago, I have seen events celebrating diversity which celebrate the different cultures, but the reality of (for example) Manningham or Holme Wood are very different. Racism is rife in both directions, particularly among the young, with whom I work. At the root of this, to my mind, is the insular nature of poor communities and a lack of will, or ability, to get out into the wider world. I have experience of working with children from both these communities, and there are some who have never been out of their postcode, let alone their city. I do not have the answers, but I suspect it is more about community than nationality.

I have spent most of my life in this once great city only to see it, sadly, brought to its knees. The smug, indolent perpetrators of this vile programme ought to be ashamed of "kicking a man while he's down.

". I have to travel to Sheffield to find work. Such a shame as I would love to work here. If there is no infrastructure, transport, market here who can blame business looking elsewhere? Judging by the number of jotels springing up

..Hotels springing up Bradford is literally becoming a dormitory town for Leeds. Nice fountain.

I'd agree with that Julz. I've worked in the wool trade in Bradford. It's still there, just concentrating on higher quality niche products now. Skills that they don't have abroad. Sadly the less skilled jobs have moved out if the UK. It's cheaper to send wool from Bradford abroad to be scoured and ship it back again than get the whole lot done here. But the wool and textile industry remains. Buying cheap imported clothes doesn't help. Nor does the current fad for laminate flooring. Get some nice wool carpets down.

Brilliant, well though put piece. Its alright, is "Bratfor"

Bradford is a rat infested shithole that offers nothing to the indigenous English. Once a thriving industrial town, now an Islamic institution. Unless ones hobbies consist of heroin or Islam Bradganistan doesn't have a great deal to offer. The only problem with the "Make Bradford British Doc" was how it failed to mention the contributions the Muslim community has made to Bradford over the years such as the grooming and gang raping of Young British girls, the prostitution and flood of drugs onto the streets. The racist rioting. The colonization of a once beautiful city.

As my daddy told me: "Opinions are like a****holes. Everyone has one, few bear close inspection."

I live in the Lister Mills development in the BD9 postcode of Bradford.It is a wonderful building and was perceived by the developers as a regeneration platform for the whole area. Not so. It is casting pearls before swine,yes I know,a more offensive metaphor I could not conjure. The number of 'millionaire cars' parked outside shabby rows of former mill workers terraces, or pulled up outside the latest bling 'innit' e-coli takeaway, beggars belief.The steep hill-climb up from Lister Park to the Mill development and beyond is a forest of 'Asian' supermarkets,Sari shops,Gold shops and fetid accident claims bureaus.It is a street where regular planning rules do not apply.There is a proliferation of the headscarf and the burka,not just for women but now even girls of preschool age. This is not fashion/choice ,this is indoctrination. This is an effort by a community supposedly holding on to its values, but in fact setting itself apart from the greater mass, in which it finds itself. The Asian community is essentially inward looking and self serving.A group where a large percentage marry first cousins, and still, three generations after settling in the UK, arrange marriages to family members from Pakistan or Bangladesh. My window is literally a window on a segregated community,one that does not want to integrate. BD9 is considered a deprived area with high unemployment and low aspiration, and it probably compares no more or less favourably than other communities under the hardships of collapsed economy. Bradford is a society divided and the gulf is growing. Liberal views expressed from the white enclaves of Haworth and Saltaire won't change this.Mass migration of groups with vastly differing values and cultural reference was always going to be a struggle. And no doubt the diversity/richness debate will continue.Going for a curry,a street party for Eid,fireworks for Diwali, does not make you integrated. 'Make Bradford British' was a poor documentary with a title meant to shock.It did nothing but court controversy with a title and then fail to deliver with any meaningful content. But deny if you will,we live in a society separated along ethnic lines,we may each meet on the fringes.But most prefer it this way. Not me I live in BD9.The bills are cheaper.

Very interesting post Michael. Quite clearly there is segregation in Bradford, I don't deny that in the article, and there's plenty of problems that come along with that. My gripe is the way channel 4 went about so ham fistedly picking on Bradford, again. Ironically channel 4 have already made a very good documentary on the subject, with Dawkins faith school documentary. That's the real problem. Segregating kids at an early age and indoctrinating them.

No to 70 million = the bigger picture for most Britons.

I left Bradford 25 years ago but return for visits frequently. I was surprised to see Bradford shown in such a positive way physically. I think the producers chose some of the best shots available to them without trying too hard.

A belated read but quite superb!

I see, yet another Saltaire based writer enjoying the fruits of living in a safe, decent micro district, outside of the city confines, which also happens to proudly boast 'world heritage status. How can you take the stance of writing for the City when you have never lived in the City? Elaborate on your love of the district, but lets not pretend to confidently offer an erudition on something that barely effects your life. Every write up based on defending the city's justifiable unattractive image - post MBB, finds solace in only those who reside comfortably within the City's safe, homogenous suburbs: Saltaire, Skipton, Howarth, Baildon, Ilkley, Silsdon etc. The documentary was poor and cheap. But you know nothing about living in and desling with people within the city. Try living in the heart of Leeds Rd - happily 'tolerating' Pakistani gangs, Pakistanification of the entire area, along with its surroundings, dodgy mosques espousing anti western rhetoric, a 'them & us' mentality backed up by a segregation policy at the best of local Murpuri families and Imam's. Do you honestly think by masturbating over Bradford's Victorian architecture is enough to deter those who are effected by the growing Pakistanification of this once great City, from edging closer and closer to the far right? Pull your head from out of your middle class Saltaire arse and try to view things from the perspective of those you know little about, yet apparently speak for.