Hay Festival 2012: George Alagiah: Mixed race is one of the fastest-growing "ethnic" groups Mixed race is now one of the fastest-growing "ethnic" groups in Britain, according to George Alagiah, the BBC television news presenter and journalist, speaking at the Telegraph Hay Festival today. Alagiah recently made a TV documentary, Mixed Britannia, which revealed the previously untold history of Britain's mixed-race community. Britain is exceptional. It has probably got a higher proportion of mixed race than any comparable country, certainly more than in Europe," he said. A book based on his own story is subtitled 'From immigrant boy to English man'. "I used to think I could never be called 'English'," said Alagiah, who was born in Sri Lanka. I have come to believe it's not genetic, but cultural. He added that multi-culturalism was an increasing cause for concern. It was perfectly acceptable for ethnic communities to guard their cultures. What I worry about is the state intervening in those communities to formalise that. The question is, said Alagiah: should the state be funding, for example, the teaching of native languages such as Urdu when not enough ethnic communities in Britain currently speak English? He did not agree, however, with citizenship tests for migrants coming to Britain. Instead, we should be welcoming towards them but insist on a "test of contribution." "You cannot be making that contribution if you want to remain in your own community," said Alagiah.