Upcoming BBC Crongton show will become ‘loving tribute’ to author Alex Wheatle
He wrote a string of books about life on London’s streets for young black men including the Crongton series.
The upcoming BBC show Crongton will become a “loving tribute” to author Alex Wheatle following his death at the age of 62.
The author, who was known as the “Brixton Bard”, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023, and campaigned for awareness of the condition.
He wrote a string of books about life on London’s streets for young black men including the Crongton series, about children growing up on a council estate and facing gang wars and other struggles.
Patricia Hidalgo, director of BBC children’s and education, said with the “blessing” of Wheatle’s family they will air the show as a “celebration of Alex’s incredible life and powerful stories that mean so much to so many young people”.
She also said: “We feel incredibly privileged to have worked with Alex on the adaptation of his award-winning Crongton Knights books, whose young characters leap off the page in their vibrant portrayals of the highs and lows of growing up in modern Britain.”
The show’s production company New Pictures said: “Alex’s warmth, generosity and humour shone out through his writing, and his work will continue to touch so many lives.
“We are so honoured to have played a part in bringing the world of Alex’s Crongton books to life and the show remains a loving tribute to him.”
Born on January 3 1963, Wheatle grew up in children’s homes and began by writing lyrics then progressed to poetry, short stories and novels.
He was also known for being part of the 1981 Brixton riot – which saw him being sent to prison, and inspired Sir Steve McQueen to direct the film Alex Wheatle about the writer’s life for the anthology series Small Axe.
The actor who played him, Sheyi Cole, wrote in an Instagram story that he was “indebted” to Wheatle, and his “story became my story”.
Wheatle would later contribute to the BBC programme Battle For Brixton, and put out the fiction book East Of Acre Lane about the riot.
His first novel, Brixton Rock, about a troubled London teenager getting to grips with finding his family, was published in 1999.
Author Dorothy Koomson, known for the novel and TV drama The Ice Cream Girls, wrote on Instagram that she was “heartbroken”.
She added: “He was a wonderful person and writer. A brilliant and empathetic human being. He leaves an incredible legacy. Lots of love to those who were closest to him. Rest in peace and glory, Alex.”
Fellow Prostate Cancer UK supporter and actor Colin McFarlane said he was “shocked and saddened”, and said that he “talked about the desperate need for a national screening programme” with Wheatle.
“Prostate cancer is curable if it is diagnosed earlier, and one day I hope we can stop losing brilliant men like Alex to this disease,” he added.
Wheatle joined Prostate Cancer UK in calling for the Government to overhaul NHS guidelines around prostate cancer, to lead to more diagnosis.
Keith Morgan, associate director of Black Health Equity at Prostate Cancer UK, said he was “proud to have worked with him later in life as he used his platform, and his own shocking late-stage diagnosis, to raise vital awareness of prostate cancer and campaign for change”.
He added that one in four “black men will get prostate cancer, double the risk of other men”, and said that men like Wheatle “are dying twice as much from a cancer that is treatable if caught early”.
When he received his honour in 2008 for services to literature, Wheatle said: “I know some people might say the MBE’s got ’empire’ on it, but there is no British empire any more.
“But more importantly, it shows young kids coming up that they can achieve and you can be successful.”
On Instagram, publisher Hachette Children’s Group said they were “incredibly saddened”, and added that he “leaves behind a legacy of rich and powerful” stories.
