Kit Harington has said that white people are welcome to attend black-only theatre shows, but performers would prefer them not to.
The Game of Thrones actor is starring in the West End production of Slave Play, a work about sexuality and race that has programmed specific performances for a black audience.
The concept faced widespread criticism, including from the former prime minister, when it was announced, but Harington has defended the idea of segregated shows.
The star, 37, said that white people were legally entitled to attend the “black out night” intended for a black ticket-holders, but they were not the desired audience.
He told the BBC: “If you are white, no-one’s stopping you buying a ticket, it’s not illegal to buy a ticket for that show, if you want to come,” he said. “It’s saying, ‘We would prefer the audience to be this’.
“Number two, I’ve been going to the theatre since I was young with my mum. I’ve only ever really known predominantly white audiences. It is still a particularly white space.
“So to have the argument that, oh, this is discriminating against white people, is I think vaguely strange and ridiculous.”