PERFORMANCE PROFILE - Television / Film

It is an exciting time for people working in broadcasting and creative industries. We are now beginning to witness the seeds of change in our representation.…and it’s long over due. These industries have a long history of excluding and misrepresenting disabled people in terms of portrayal, workforce and consequently audience. Portrayal of disabled people is still considered to be sparse, frequently inaccurate and focused too often on the character’s impairment. There’s a long way to go…but with new publicly declared commitments from leading broadcasters to make improvements, we are moving in the right direction. Any disabled person working in this industry would surely tell you it can be frustrating trying to persuade people to accept us for who we are; to recognize us as actors, writers, producers, presenters, editors…. and not to merely limit and define us by our impairments. At the same time, however, it is also rewarding to be part of this process of change. I can only hope that personal goals such as the opportunity to play character-led roles, based on the merits of my acting abilities and not focused on disability, would only help to improve the cultural inclusion and acceptance of disabled people as a whole.

Balamory – Seeking Santa DVD

Role: Penny Pocket
Company: Tattiemoon / BBC Worldwide
Director: Brian Jameson
Date: 2005

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BALAMORY

Role: Penny Pocket
Company: BBC Scotland
Director: Various
Date: Balamory Series 1 and 2 – 2002 / Series 3 and 4 – 2004

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BAFTA-MORY

How happy we were to win the CHILDREN’S BAFTA for PRE SCHOOL LIVE ACTION 2004!

Several people have said to me, well you must have known the show would win – if you’d seen the way Juliet Cadzow and I were gripping each others hands with nerves as the nominations were announced, you’d know that was untrue! Nerves soon turned to much joviality, including me trying to hold up the award on my own. I know I’m terrible keeping up with my physio, but have you any idea how heavy those masks are?? I could just see me thrown out of my first evening at the BAFTA’s for vandalism – broken masks everywhere! One of the highlights of the evening for me was meeting the very lovely actor, Billy Boyd. I rarely become star stuck, but was delighted to get the opportunity of a little chat (he talked, I mumbled) and a photo opportunity – all for the benefit of my son, of course, who is a huge Lord of the Rings fan! All in all, it was certainly an evening to remember.

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO BRIAN JAMESON, HELEN DOHERTY AND LUCILLE MCLAUGHLIN.

BARCLAYS BANK CORPORATE

Role: Customer
Company: Big Picture
Director: Various
Date: 2003

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

Role: Kim
Company: Box TV
Director: Rik Lander
Date: 2001

BLIND AMBITION

Role: Paula Simms
Company: Yorkshire TV
Director: Richard Standeven
Date: 2000

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FROM THE EDGE

Role: Presenter
Company: BBC
Director: Various
Date: 1996 - 2000

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DISABILITY TODAY

Role: Presenter
Company: BBC
Director: Martin Davidson
Date: 1995 - 1996

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