Blind person on TV – Shock

Is disability the new ability? Emma Bowler reports

There’s been a rash of disabled folk on TV recently: Beyond Boundaries (BBC2), Britain’s Missing Top Model (BBC3), Mikey and Darnell on Big Brother (C4) and Penny Hefferan on Wife Swap (C4).

Alison Walsh, Channel 4’s editorial manager – disability, says: “The biggest message we get from viewers is that they want disabled people doing the same things as everyone else.”

Thus far, the inclusion of disabled contributors in series like BB and Wife Swap is bang on.

TV’s incidental inclusion of disabled people has included a short person on EastEnders (BBC1), a wheelchair-user on Grand Designs (C4) and a visually-impaired person on Dragon’s Den (BBC2).

Clare Morrow, manager of the Broadcasting and Creative Industries Disability Network (BCIDN), is encouraged by broadcasters “getting beyond including disabled people just talking about disability. That’s what we want to see and that’s what BCIDN is all about.”

The crucial thing is that disabled people are on TV because they are people, not because they’re disabled. As Alison points out: “We don’t want programme-makers to put disabled people on programmes just to tick boxes.” Absolutely. Let’s hope the trend continues.