In 1974 in Dudley in the English Midlands black teen-ager Danny Fearon is persecuted by racists but is also a talented mimic and performer who enjoys Saturday night television with his sizeable family. Danny reluctantly joins his father Samson to work at a car factory but, egged on by his friends, shines at a local talent contest, which not only gains him his first sexual experience but also an agent in the flash Jonesy. To the annoyance of Samson but encouragement of mother Myrtle Jonesy enters Danny for TV talent show 'New Faces', which he wins. After a surprising revelation from Myrtle about his parentage Danny turns professional but is dismayed to find himself in a summer show The Black and White Minstrels where white men perform in black-face, and is ashamed to be associated with something he regards as racially demeaning. Rather break his contract he takes Samson's advice and gets himself sacked from the show and some time later delivers the oration at his father's funeral, paying tribute to what Samson had taught him.