Netflix accused of 'whitewashing' by Nailed It! presenter Nicole Byer

'If Netflix didn’t sign my checks, I would talk about how f***** up and disrespectful this is to me'

Nicole Byer, the host of Nailed It! (Getty Images for Netflix)

Nicole Byer, the host of Netflix’s baking show Nailed It!, has accused the streaming service of “whitewashing”.

Byer was angered after a fan pointed out that her two white, male co-stars – co-host Jacques Torres and the show’s assistant director/sometimes guest Wes – appeared in a thumbnail promoting the show while she did not.

In a series of since-deleted Tweets, Byer wrote: “If Netflix didn’t sign my checks and give me a huge platform and opportunity to showcase my comedy, I would talk about how f***** up and disrespectful this is to me a black woman. Also how black women are a lot of times erased from many different conversations.

“I would talk about how it makes me know my true value as the host of the show where I work incredibly hard to elevate the material given to me. Lot of moments people love are improvised.

“I would talk about how this essentially whitewashing for more views. But they sign my checks and I’m honestly so happy and grateful to and for the show and no sarcasm I love my job and wish to keep it so I’ll be quiet.”

Byers added that there are thumbnails with and without her face, but the one shown to her “seems for lack of a better word deliberate”.

Whitewashing in the entertainment industry is a term usually used to describe white people being cast in historically non-white character roles or in roles which are scripted for non-white characters.

The Tweets were later deleted, with Byers writing on social media: “I deleted my last set of tweets because I talked to one the execs on my show about it and the thrilling conclusion is the removal of the image and a conversation about how the thumbnails are made and selected that I’m happy with.”

Netflix has previously been accused of using “intrusive” advertising tactics to mislead subscribers based on their ethnicity. Black subscribers noticed that the images being used to promote certain films included black actors, even if those actors only had minor roles.

The streaming service responded at the time by saying: “We don’t ask members for their race, gender or ethnicity so we cannot use this information to personalise their individual Netflix experience. The only information we use is a member’s viewing history.”

Netflix has been contacted for comment.