At the conclusion of our August webinar on Inclusion in TV and Film, Sinéad Burke, CEO at Tilting the Lens, promised to follow up on a thought-provoking question from an audience member.

The question came as part of the Q&A with the audience as they shared their questions with the guest speakers, Ade Rawcliffe, Chief People and Inclusion Officer at ITV, and Bella Roberts, a young Disabled editorial trainee and content creator.

During the webinar some media inspiration and representation was discussed – from the wonderful performance of George Robinson in Sex Education (Netflix) to the ITV drama, Code of Silence, and the representation both in front of and behind the camera. 

So when the question was raised by Angela – “I’m curious if any of the speakers remember their first experience of seeing disability representation in media? I grew up seeing so little disability representation or in some cases inauthentic that I find great joy in finding positive and authentic representation.” – we had to reflect and answer it together. 

Memories of disability representation

Bella Roberts

“When I thought about shows that had positive representation while I was growing up, I honestly struggled at first because there really wasn’t much around. One that stood out, though, was ‘The Story of Tracy Beaker’. There was a character called Layla, played by Cara Readle, and later, when it evolved into The Dumping Ground, they introduced even more children with different disabilities. 

What I found so powerful was that those characters weren’t defined by their Disability. They had flaws, humour, and full personalities just like everyone else, which made them so much more relatable.”  

Ade Rawcliffe

“I struggle with the first, but Special on Netflix had an impact on me”

Sinéad Burke, CEO and Founder

“One of my earliest memories of disability representation is Corban Walker in the Irish film Frankie Starlight. It featured Gabriel Byrne, Matt Dillon and Anne Parillaud and told the story of a writer with dwarfism, and how he experienced the world. I should probably admit that I had a cameo role in it too, though I was only three.”

Rowena Neville, Senior Consultant

“Thinking back to TV and books when I was very young, I loved the story of Heidi, an orphan who lived in the Alps with her Grandfather. There was a Japanese cartoon version broadcast in the 1970s, of the original story from the 1880s. 

Heidi’s best friend was Peter the Goatherd, and Peter’s Grandmother was Blind. Neither Peter or Heidi could read, and when Heidi is taken to Frankfurt as a companion to a girl called Clara who is a wheelchair user, Clara’s wealthy grandmother taught Heidi to read. Clara’s life was so glamorous and cosmopolitan compared to Heidi’s, and the Alps were framed as somewhere that Clara could go to recover from her illness and perhaps begin to walk again. On reflection, that seems a really inaccessible idea, however, Clara’s name and style of dress has remained in my head as a guide star of glamour and sophistication to me ever since!”

Emma Shaw, Senior Consultant

“One of my earliest memories of disability representation is of musician, artist, and actor Ian Dury, who formed the band Ian Dury and the Blockheads in the 1970s. My dad is a big fan and often played his music for me and my sister when we were children, sharing stories about him—how he became disabled by polio at seven (which he said toughened him up), mainly about what an incredible artist (he attended the Royal College of Art) and musician he was, along with his commanding presence. 

He had some minor acting roles, and one that I remember is in The Cook, The Thief, The Wife, And Her Lover; he plays a gangster and has a scene where he pretty much commands the room and then a section walking out of the restaurant with a woman, his walking stick and his limp fully visible and almost heightening the tension of the scene, slowing it down. He frequently discussed his disability openly in his work, using lyrics with humour, defiance, and honesty. Radically positive and just so cool. The song “Sweet Gene Vincent” (about American musician Gene Vincent, who was also Disabled) remains a firm favourite.”

Orla McCann, Senior Consultant

“Winnie the Pooh is a lifelong favourite of mine, and introduced the beloved Eeyore, a character who has become a symbol of mental health awareness in children’s literature and now film. Unlike his cheerful friends, Eeyore is introverted, low-energy, and despondent, often preferring solitude. A.A. Milne treats this sadness with empathy, and what stands out is how Eeyore’s friends respond to it. They don’t try to fix him or force happiness; instead, they offer kindness, inclusion, and patience. Their gentle support shows young readers and viewers the value of empathy and how to be there for someone who may be struggling. Eeyore’s enduring appeal proves that being different doesn’t make you any less loved.”

 Laia Cargol Martinez, Consultant

“One example of positive disability representation in a TV show is Ginny and Georgia, it features a Deaf character, Maxine, and her father, Marcus.” (Ginny & Georgia: Deaf Representation by Amy Lazzaretti)

Emmy Afebuame, Senior Executive Assistant

“I can’t pick just one film, but growing up in Nigeria in the late 1990s and early 2000s, most of my earliest exposure to disability representation came through what we called home videos – what the rest of the world now knows as Nollywood films. These were straight-to-VHS or VCD movies that families would gather around to watch, often telling everyday stories about love, betrayal, community, and faith. It wasn’t unusual to see characters who were Blind, Deaf, or physically Disabled, often played by well-known actors.

Looking back, the portrayals were not always sensitive by today’s standards; sometimes they leaned on stereotypes or framed disability as a source of tragedy or spiritual symbolism. But at the time, those characters were some of the first images I saw of people living with disabilities, woven into stories that mattered to everyone.

In their own imperfect way, they planted seeds of awareness that disability was part of society’s fabric.”

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