Mr Motivator picks Harry Belafonte


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Jan 09 2024 28 mins   337 1 0

Harry Belafonte became the King of Calypso with hits like 'Day-O' and 'Jump in the Line' but he would later describe himself as an activist who became a musician and an actor.

Fitness guru Derrick Evans MBE AKA 'Mr Motivator' spent much of the 90s on TV wearing brightly-coloured spandex and encouraging people to be more active. He stresses the political messages that underpin Calypso music and celebrates the stand Belafonte took in the campaign for civil rights in America in the 1960s. Derrick moved from Jamaica to the UK when he was a boy and remembers the impact of the Belafonte film 'Carmen Jones'.

Presenter: Matthew Parris Guest: Derrick Evans AKA 'Mr Motivator' Producer: Toby Field for BBC Audio Bristol