Watch: Michael Sheen grieves for loss of Port Talbot steelwork jobs
Michael Sheen has spoken out about the huge blow to Port Talbot and the Welsh economy with the job losses at the steelworks in his hometown.
Appearing on The News Agents podcast with Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall, the actor voiced his concern for the town and the devastation for the community.
“The danger is you’ve got communities in Wales that feel very let down and betrayed, particularly in South Wales,” he said. “I mean, I couldn’t believe it the other day. I think it was on Friday. The last ship came in to deliver the stuff to the steelworks.
“I saw a photograph of it yesterday online. It took my breath away. I was doing some filming down at a cafe in the town the other day, which is part of an industrial estate. And a lot of people who work in the steelworks come into that cafe.
“The ladies who work there said, ‘we’ve had men just sitting at these tables weeping’. I could see the blast furnaces in the distance and she said ‘that one has closed down already and that one is closing down in a week’s time – and the last ship is coming in on Friday’.”
Michael’s interview includes a special report from Port Talbot on the job losses.
"I was filming in a cafe in Port Talbot the other day, the ladies who work there said they've had grown men in there just weeping."@michaelsheen on the heartbreak and inevitable anger of those in his hometown over mass job losses at the steelworks. pic.twitter.com/BlAlVbcHRp
— The News Agents (@TheNewsAgents) September 3, 2024
Listen to the full interview with Michael
Michael Sheen proving *again* why he will always be my absolute favourite
His points about needing a political alternative and radical ideas, the conversation about Port Talbot and of course his views on youth theatre and drama teachers (or lack) are gold https://t.co/M3CqK8L24P
— Jenna Omeltschenko 🇺🇦 (@JenChenko) September 3, 2024
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but…but …the climate catastrophe!
Does Micheal even live any where near port Talbot anymore, or has he up sticks to London?
So what ? Does it matter where he lives ? My roots are in West Wales although I’ve been away for over 50 years, yet I still get angry when I see a mix of busybodies who don’t add any value telling rural communities how they should live their lives. All power to Sheen. He irritates at times but to care about his place of origin is no bad thing.
He lives in Baglan. Don’t let the facts get in the way of your axe grinding though.
Port Talbot lost steelmaking to elsewhere in the world because too many there believed the world owed them a living, even when sleeping an a nightshift!
May have been the case 30-40 years ago but lot of slack practices have long since disappeared. Why don’t you go down there and repeat that yarn to some of the shiftworkers who will soon leave for the last time.
What a complete twofaced actor. Mouths off about climate change UK not doing enough then when things change it’s the usual “ not in my garden ” . Why does he not ask Welsh Labour why they have and always do let workers in Wales down.
Just like our politicians: they are simultaneously able to lament the closure of a fossil-fuel furnace, with the loss of 2500 jobs, and claim that Net Zero is the future, with the creation of thousands of green jobs as a bonus.
Thatchers legacy lives on.