The Stage

Guide casts light on disabled under-representation

Published Friday 30 April 2004 at 09:20 by Joanna Taylor

Hundreds of casting directors and agents have been issued with a booklet about employing disabled actors in an effort to counter what campaigners claim to be television’s “serious under-representation” of the nine million disabled people in Britain.

Equity has worked in conjunction with the Broadcasting and Creative Industries Disability Network to produce Moving into the Spotlight, which is aimed at dispelling the general misapprehensions held about working with disabled performers.

The guide sets out responsibilities under the Disability and Discriminations Act 1995, such as the requirement that castings should be accessible and that an actor cannot be rejected on the basis of their disability. It also offers a number of ‘golden rules’ for casting directors and provides guidance on where to find actors with disabilities and contact details for useful information.

Moving into the Spotlight is a direct response to a report published last year by the Independent Television Commission and the BCIDN, whose members include the BBC, Carlton, Granada, Channel 4, Channel 5, BSkyB and the Film Council.

The report warned that television companies cannot afford to “ignore the nine million disabled people in Britain,” and added: “Disabled people are seriously under-represented in the broadcasting workforce, on-air and off-screen.”

Commenting on the leaflet, disabled actress Julie Fernandez said that it is an important step to highlight the responsibilities of casting directors, no matter how obvious the details might seem.

She added: “These are all pretty simple things in this leaflet. It is not medical science but it is helpful because hopefully it will stop so many people within the industry having fears about employing us.

“We are a massive untapped viewing market and should be represented in front of the camera, whether it be on EastEnders, Blue Peter or on an advert.”