Representation of disabled people on and off screen has risen in recent years, but it is still woefully short of reflecting the reality of Britain today.
A lively panel of disabled talent will debate why this is, how good or not portrayal is and what more can be done.
Click here to read the event report or watch the highlights below.
After the pandemic delayed the Tokyo Paralympic Games for a year, Adam Hills, Alex Brooker and Josh Widdicombe will present The Last Leg of Tokyo live every day at 10pm on Channel 4.
The trio will report from the BT Studios in the heart of the London Olympic Village in Stratford, discussing the biggest news and sporting stories of the day.
Comedian Rosie Jones, who originally started her TV career as a researcher for The Last Leg during the 2016 Paralympic Games, will act as a roving reporter.
If you want some light reading, please do not dip into the Creative Diversity Network’s recent report, “Diamond: The Fourth Cut”. The statistics are grim, particularly when it comes to disability. According to the report, the UK TV industry has “urgent” work to do on disability representation, both on- and off-screen. This is an understatement of monumental proportions.
Exploring the UK in all its eccentric glory, Jones will set out to prove the power of minority and a good sense of humour over a big budget when it comes to travel.
Semi-scripted, the series begins with Jones having to abandon her global, luxurious travel plans, before convincing Channel 4 to adapt conceptually to Covid-19 and its constraints.
Instead, each episode a celebrity guest will join Jones in a different location within the UK, sniffing out adventures in both the city and the country.
The ten-part series sees Zuu take his passion for cooking on the road, with each episode following Zuu as he cooks up made-to-order dishes for a famous comedian on tour in the UK.
Comedians making an appearance this series include, Rosie Jones and Desiree Burch.
This week, like most weeks, has been a little busy. And when I say, “a little busy”, I mean rushed-off-my-feet-no-time-to-sleep busy. I mean, is sleep really necessary?
I’m thinking, no, not really. Apart from the Bags for Life under my eyes, I am really happy, and every morning I wake up with a smile on my face. I still can’t believe that I get paid to make people laugh. I am living the dream.
Broadcaster and journalist Ade Adepitan chaired a panel of disabled talent to ask what can be done to help television reflect the reality of Britain today.
That was the sobering conclusion from an RTS early evening event, Where Have All the Disabled People Gone?
Paradoxically the discussion was full of laughter and sly wit, not least from chair, the journalist and presenter Ade Adepitan.
A panel of disabled men and women who work in TV and media told the audience of their experiences trying to make a living in TV.
