How many mainstream disabled actors or TV personalities can you name? Even as a disabled person myself, I struggle to think of many.
Despite a few notable examples of representation – Liz Carr as Clarissa in Silent Witness and, more recently, George Robinson playing the first disabled character in hit Netflix show Sex Education, we are still overwhelmingly absent from our screens and public life in general.
But just like everybody else, we want our stories to be told. Seeing others like us represented on TV and in the media creates a sense of welcome and inclusion. The kind of inclusion that for too long has been missing for disabled people.
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In fact, despite being the largest minority group in the UK, disabled people are still the most under-represented group in TV. This is according to the Creative Diversity Network’s (CDN’s) latest Diamond report, which reveals there is still a significant paucity of disabled people working in both on and off-screen roles.
The annual report, which is the most comprehensive monitor of diversity in UK television and is backed by UK broadcasters the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, ViacomCBS and Sky, found that disabled people make up just 5.2 per cent of contributions off-screen and 7.8 per cent on-screen, despite the overall figure for working age disabled people in the UK hitting 17 per cent.
“Disabled people are shut out of the industry,” said the authors of the report. Even if the number of people with disabilities working in front of and behind the camera in UK broadcast television was doubled, “we still wouldn’t even be halfway to reaching a fair representation compared to the percentage of the population who are working with disabilities”.
However, the findings come as no surprise to many. Balamory star Kim Tserkezie, who has been in the industry for 25 years, says she has seen very little improvement over that time.
“It’s the same prejudice and discrimination embedded in the industry that we’ve had for years that is preventing progress,” she says. “Until we’ve got disabled people in positions throughout the whole creative process in programme making, we won’t see real change.”
Frustrated by the lack of change, Tserkezie started her own production company, but says she still struggles to find TV bosses that understand the need for disabled people to author their own authentic stories. “I’ve never met anyone who has identified as a disabled commissioner before. I still find myself in a position where I have to explain it to them.”
According to government data, there are 13.9 million disabled people in the UK, accounting for 20 per cent – one in five – of the population. But still explaining to TV bosses in 2020 why 20 per cent of the population deserve a chance to be represented and tell their own authentic stories is only half the battle. Persistent prejudices and empty excuses about “lack of talent” and myths that disabled people will “slow down production” or “significantly raise production costs” are also proving wearisome.
“Being inclusive of disability is often thought of as something that can be expensive, so unless TV bosses are really pushed to do it, they won’t,” says actor, writer and producer David Proud, who has starred in EastEnders and kids’ TV show Desperados. “In reality, access needs can often be very small and the benefit of being inclusive is bigger than any financial cost.”
Sadly, staggering amounts of unconscious bias about disability in the industry still persist, leaving many to feel that greater accountability of those in charge is needed. Groundbreaking, disabled-led TV series are still being declined at the commissioning stage over minor technicalities.
“Our Black Panther equivalent is being turned down week on week,” says Proud. “One commissioner even said, ‘There isn’t a market for disabled stories,’ and they said it like they were being reasonable. It’s time that commissioners and controllers are held to account for decisions.”
With few exceptions, shows that do get commissioned with disabled characters often portray disabled people as objects of pity, their disability still the main focus.
“All those pitiful portrayals of us on-screen perpetuate the stereotypes and how people perceive us in our daily lives,” says Tserkezie. “It turns out that we’re still very much seen as medical problems and not independent human beings who are multi-skilled, who live very diverse lives and have a lot to offer.”
1/20 20) The Wire (“Way Down in the Hole” by Tom Waits) (2002-2008)
A rotating cast of musicians were tasked with covering Tom Waits’ formidable dirge “Way Down in the Hole” for The Wire’s theme, including Steve Earle and The Blind Boys of Alabama. No one beat Waits at his own game, though, the gravelly voiced king of the gutters used for the prolific drama’s second series. Regardless of who was singing, the message would remain the same: “When you walk through the garden / You gotta watch your back.”
2/20 19) Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (“Unbreakable” by The Gregory Brothers and Mike Britt) (2015-2019)
Having the YouTube-famous Gregory Brothers, responsible for viral hit “Bedroom Intruder”, remix a news report of the show’s protagonist being rescued from an underground cult for the theme song is unbelievably strange, but also brilliant. The warped, breakneck burst of bubblegum ridiculousness that it became is truly uncharted grounds, tearing down walls separating television, streaming services and video platforms in a very catchy fashion.
Netflix
3/20 18) Twin Peaks (“Twin Peaks Theme” by Angelo Badalamenti) (1990-2017)
That they reused this theme for the recent Twin Peaks revival, an uncompromising, phantasmagoric trip through the mind of David Lynch, is intentionally and deliciously jarring, and that’s only because Badalementi’s theme so perfectly embodied the kitschy, nostalgia-drenched warmth of the original Nineties series, a simpler time. With ominous shadows lurking just beneath the beautiful crescendos, though, maybe Twin Peaks was never what it seemed.
4/20 17) The Twilight Zone (“Main Title Theme” by Marius Constant) (1959-1964)
The Twilight Zone, an anthology series that was light-years ahead of the curve, had a stellar soundtrack predating an impressive and abundant pantheon of great horror scores, spooking us way before we had Halloween or The Exorcist. It’s a bit of Frankenstein’s Monster, consisting of a number of promotional pieces haphazardly spliced together, but from the messy birth is a tense, ethereal and insanely influential hair-raiser.
Getty
5/20 16) Toast of London (“Take My Hand” by Matt Berry) (2012- )
As sung by co-creator and lead actor Matt Berry, one of the most under-appreciated and multifaceted talents of the decade, “Take My Hand” is rousing and poignant. Toast of London, a gloriously abstract, untamed animal of a comedy, is often punctuated by unexpected bursts of Berry’s singing, though no other performance quite reaches the loveliness of this theme – an emotional anchor in a sea of weirdness.
press image from Lis Clucas/Kuba Wieczorek/Channel 4
6/20 15) The Sopranos (“Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix)” by Alabama 3) (1999-2007)
Alabama 3, an alternative rock band from Brixton, provides the theme song to a show that consistently outdoes itself with its music choices (see also: the series’ final few minutes). “Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix)” is greasy and sleazy and Tom Waits-ish, a swamp of ominous synths and guitar licks, dipping into the weirder and artsier tendencies that The Sopranos would often divulge in.
HBO
7/20 14) The Simpsons (“The Simpsons Theme” by Danny Elfman) (1989- )
With each title sequence, The Simpsons continually finds news way for America’s favourite family to come together on their couch, although the soundtrack to these journeys remains an unchanging monument. Honestly, “The Simpsons Theme” has transcended iconic status and is essentially a holy text by this point; excluding it from this list would have been sacrilegious. Shout out to Lisa who always knocks her sax solo out of the park.
8/20 13) Postman Pat (“Postman Pat & His Black and White Cat” by Bryan Daly) (1981-2006)
This sleepy little lullaby of a theme song recalls the sensation of first waking in the morning, enthused by the feeling that everything is okay in the world. Bryan Daly’s almost whispered vocals speak of a heart-warming, enviously simple life for our hero Pat and his black and white cat; “Pat feels he’s a really happy man.” It’s a doorway to a world that, no matter the age, you would be happy to settle into.
Woodland Animations
9/20 12) The Office UK (“Handbags and Gladrags” arranged by Big George) (2001-2003)
What Gervais and Merchant’s version of The Office does so well is to embrace the humanity of everyday life, at-times hilarious, at-times pathetic. “Handbags and Gladrags”, originally written by Mike D’Abo of Manfred Mann but repurposed here by Big George, is unashamedly sombre and hungover. It sounds like that contrasting look of persistence to achieve better things and resigned acceptance on the face of every Monday morning commuter.
BBC
10/20 11) M*A*S*H (“Suicide is Painless” by Johnny Mandel) (1972-1983)
The lyrics to “Suicide is Painless”, omitted from the television title sequence but so married to the melody that they hang over it like a ghost, are heart-wrenching. They draw out the tragic, underlying nature of M*A*S*H, a comedy at heart, with their absence only highlighting the repression of this sadness. It’s unique and unprecedented in the sense that, each time it plays, it forces you to reconsider what it is you are about to see.
REX/TM & copyright 20th Century Fox.
11/20 10) Knight Rider (“Knight Rider Theme” by Stu Phillips and Glen A. Larson) (1982-1986)
The “Knight Rider Theme”, composed of pulsating, tensile synths and ticking programmed drums, is a very Eighties, Blade Runner-esque prediction of what the future would sound like: apocalyptic, sleek and synthetic. A bit like KITT itself, it’s nowhere near being timeless in that sense, but it’s undoubtedly cool even as a product of its time.
REX FEATURES
12/20 9) It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (“Temptation Sensation” by Heinz Kiessling) (2005- )
The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia title sequence is all about ingenious contrasts. The episode titles often hilariously contradict the prior few minutes (see: “I’m gonna save my Dad!” into “Mac Kills His Dad), the shots of nighttime Philadelphia prove it’s not actually “always sunny”, and, best of all, the theme song hints at a certain lusciousness and grace. This, of course, is never the case. That “Temptation Sensation” is public domain makes it even more perfect.
13/20 8) Happy Days (“Happy Days” by Pratt & McClain) (1974-1984)
Faced with declining ratings, Happy Days doubled down on the feel-good factor and comedy aspects for the third series. This new theme song, replacing the equally recognisable “Rock Around the Clock”, follows suit, borrowing the same idea of making the most of the time we have but blowing it out to its most cheery, broad and archetypal potential.
Paramount/REX
14/20 7) Friends (“I’ll Be There For You” by The Rembrandts) (1994-2004)
The Rembrandts got it pretty spot on – no matter what you do to escape it, this song will always be there. A bit like an over-eager best friend, the track brings a certain comfort, a sense of normality and is boundlessly, almost annoyingly joyful. You can’t help but love it unconditionally.
sky
15/20 6) The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (“Yo Home to Bel Air” by The Fresh Prince) (1990-1996)
Never before has a backstory been so endlessly recitable. Pop maestro Quincy Jones collaborated with renowned 80s hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the The Fresh Prince, who happened to be starring in the show, to create a genuine cultural touchstone in just 15 minutes. Much like his character, Will Smith makes everything he does look completely effortless, including writing a theme song for the ages.
NBC Productions
16/20 5) Doctor Who (“Doctor Who Theme Music” by Ron Grainer) (1963- )
The fact that this theme still evokes the excitement of stepping into new worlds almost 60 years on is telling. Composed in the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Ron Grainer and Delia Derbyshire’s otherworldly masterpiece has let loose the imaginations (and nightmares) of children for decades, itself a small but sturdy vessel that transcends time and space.
BBC
17/20 4) Dad’s Army (“Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?” by Bud Flanagan) (1968-1977)
Distinctly unimposing and charming yet equipped with a biting sense of self-depreciation and an unmatched persistence, the theme for Dad’s Army perfectly captures British spirit. In fact, dismissing Hitler’s reign as a “little game” may be one of the most devastatingly British blows ever landed. Bud Flanagan, a vaudevillian comic in his own right, outdid himself.
Rex Features
18/20 3) Curb Your Enthusiasm (“Frolic” by Luciano Michelini) (2000- )
Just beating out Seinfeld’s iconic slap bass is the hilariously cocksure clown march that soundtracks Larry David’s second masterpiece, Curb Your Enthusiasm. “There was something circus-y about it,” he once explained. “It tells the audience: don’t take this seriously.” It’s near-impossible to hear it without picturing a slow zoom into his helpless face, forever mocking his inability to understand a world that goes right over his bald, emblematic head.
HBO
19/20 2) Cheers (“Where Everybody Knows Your Name” by Gary Portnoy) (1982-1993)
The quintessential theme song, almost unanimously agreed upon as the greatest of all time. Gary Portnoy’s “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” is that warm rush you feel stepping in from the cold or, more aptly, a much-needed beer after a long day. A deep exhalation of a programme, Cheers was that sense of relief for so many people, and the theme couldn’t have captured or acknowledged that more perfectly.
20/20 1) Batman (“Batman Theme” by Neal Hefti) (1966-1968)
From the giddy, opening horn flourish to the driving guitar, the chorus of “Batman”’s to the hits of brass choreographed to our hero punching out crooks, you’d be hard pressed to find a better-known superhero theme. Although the franchise would return to darker places, the unabashed campness here harks back to the innocence of watching cartoons on weekend mornings.
1/20 20) The Wire (“Way Down in the Hole” by Tom Waits) (2002-2008)
A rotating cast of musicians were tasked with covering Tom Waits’ formidable dirge “Way Down in the Hole” for The Wire’s theme, including Steve Earle and The Blind Boys of Alabama. No one beat Waits at his own game, though, the gravelly voiced king of the gutters used for the prolific drama’s second series. Regardless of who was singing, the message would remain the same: “When you walk through the garden / You gotta watch your back.”
2/20 19) Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (“Unbreakable” by The Gregory Brothers and Mike Britt) (2015-2019)
Having the YouTube-famous Gregory Brothers, responsible for viral hit “Bedroom Intruder”, remix a news report of the show’s protagonist being rescued from an underground cult for the theme song is unbelievably strange, but also brilliant. The warped, breakneck burst of bubblegum ridiculousness that it became is truly uncharted grounds, tearing down walls separating television, streaming services and video platforms in a very catchy fashion.
Netflix
3/20 18) Twin Peaks (“Twin Peaks Theme” by Angelo Badalamenti) (1990-2017)
That they reused this theme for the recent Twin Peaks revival, an uncompromising, phantasmagoric trip through the mind of David Lynch, is intentionally and deliciously jarring, and that’s only because Badalementi’s theme so perfectly embodied the kitschy, nostalgia-drenched warmth of the original Nineties series, a simpler time. With ominous shadows lurking just beneath the beautiful crescendos, though, maybe Twin Peaks was never what it seemed.
4/20 17) The Twilight Zone (“Main Title Theme” by Marius Constant) (1959-1964)
The Twilight Zone, an anthology series that was light-years ahead of the curve, had a stellar soundtrack predating an impressive and abundant pantheon of great horror scores, spooking us way before we had Halloween or The Exorcist. It’s a bit of Frankenstein’s Monster, consisting of a number of promotional pieces haphazardly spliced together, but from the messy birth is a tense, ethereal and insanely influential hair-raiser.
Getty
5/20 16) Toast of London (“Take My Hand” by Matt Berry) (2012- )
As sung by co-creator and lead actor Matt Berry, one of the most under-appreciated and multifaceted talents of the decade, “Take My Hand” is rousing and poignant. Toast of London, a gloriously abstract, untamed animal of a comedy, is often punctuated by unexpected bursts of Berry’s singing, though no other performance quite reaches the loveliness of this theme – an emotional anchor in a sea of weirdness.
press image from Lis Clucas/Kuba Wieczorek/Channel 4
6/20 15) The Sopranos (“Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix)” by Alabama 3) (1999-2007)
Alabama 3, an alternative rock band from Brixton, provides the theme song to a show that consistently outdoes itself with its music choices (see also: the series’ final few minutes). “Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix)” is greasy and sleazy and Tom Waits-ish, a swamp of ominous synths and guitar licks, dipping into the weirder and artsier tendencies that The Sopranos would often divulge in.
HBO
7/20 14) The Simpsons (“The Simpsons Theme” by Danny Elfman) (1989- )
With each title sequence, The Simpsons continually finds news way for America’s favourite family to come together on their couch, although the soundtrack to these journeys remains an unchanging monument. Honestly, “The Simpsons Theme” has transcended iconic status and is essentially a holy text by this point; excluding it from this list would have been sacrilegious. Shout out to Lisa who always knocks her sax solo out of the park.
8/20 13) Postman Pat (“Postman Pat & His Black and White Cat” by Bryan Daly) (1981-2006)
This sleepy little lullaby of a theme song recalls the sensation of first waking in the morning, enthused by the feeling that everything is okay in the world. Bryan Daly’s almost whispered vocals speak of a heart-warming, enviously simple life for our hero Pat and his black and white cat; “Pat feels he’s a really happy man.” It’s a doorway to a world that, no matter the age, you would be happy to settle into.
Woodland Animations
9/20 12) The Office UK (“Handbags and Gladrags” arranged by Big George) (2001-2003)
What Gervais and Merchant’s version of The Office does so well is to embrace the humanity of everyday life, at-times hilarious, at-times pathetic. “Handbags and Gladrags”, originally written by Mike D’Abo of Manfred Mann but repurposed here by Big George, is unashamedly sombre and hungover. It sounds like that contrasting look of persistence to achieve better things and resigned acceptance on the face of every Monday morning commuter.
BBC
10/20 11) M*A*S*H (“Suicide is Painless” by Johnny Mandel) (1972-1983)
The lyrics to “Suicide is Painless”, omitted from the television title sequence but so married to the melody that they hang over it like a ghost, are heart-wrenching. They draw out the tragic, underlying nature of M*A*S*H, a comedy at heart, with their absence only highlighting the repression of this sadness. It’s unique and unprecedented in the sense that, each time it plays, it forces you to reconsider what it is you are about to see.
REX/TM & copyright 20th Century Fox.
11/20 10) Knight Rider (“Knight Rider Theme” by Stu Phillips and Glen A. Larson) (1982-1986)
The “Knight Rider Theme”, composed of pulsating, tensile synths and ticking programmed drums, is a very Eighties, Blade Runner-esque prediction of what the future would sound like: apocalyptic, sleek and synthetic. A bit like KITT itself, it’s nowhere near being timeless in that sense, but it’s undoubtedly cool even as a product of its time.
REX FEATURES
12/20 9) It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (“Temptation Sensation” by Heinz Kiessling) (2005- )
The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia title sequence is all about ingenious contrasts. The episode titles often hilariously contradict the prior few minutes (see: “I’m gonna save my Dad!” into “Mac Kills His Dad), the shots of nighttime Philadelphia prove it’s not actually “always sunny”, and, best of all, the theme song hints at a certain lusciousness and grace. This, of course, is never the case. That “Temptation Sensation” is public domain makes it even more perfect.
13/20 8) Happy Days (“Happy Days” by Pratt & McClain) (1974-1984)
Faced with declining ratings, Happy Days doubled down on the feel-good factor and comedy aspects for the third series. This new theme song, replacing the equally recognisable “Rock Around the Clock”, follows suit, borrowing the same idea of making the most of the time we have but blowing it out to its most cheery, broad and archetypal potential.
Paramount/REX
14/20 7) Friends (“I’ll Be There For You” by The Rembrandts) (1994-2004)
The Rembrandts got it pretty spot on – no matter what you do to escape it, this song will always be there. A bit like an over-eager best friend, the track brings a certain comfort, a sense of normality and is boundlessly, almost annoyingly joyful. You can’t help but love it unconditionally.
sky
15/20 6) The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (“Yo Home to Bel Air” by The Fresh Prince) (1990-1996)
Never before has a backstory been so endlessly recitable. Pop maestro Quincy Jones collaborated with renowned 80s hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the The Fresh Prince, who happened to be starring in the show, to create a genuine cultural touchstone in just 15 minutes. Much like his character, Will Smith makes everything he does look completely effortless, including writing a theme song for the ages.
NBC Productions
16/20 5) Doctor Who (“Doctor Who Theme Music” by Ron Grainer) (1963- )
The fact that this theme still evokes the excitement of stepping into new worlds almost 60 years on is telling. Composed in the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Ron Grainer and Delia Derbyshire’s otherworldly masterpiece has let loose the imaginations (and nightmares) of children for decades, itself a small but sturdy vessel that transcends time and space.
BBC
17/20 4) Dad’s Army (“Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?” by Bud Flanagan) (1968-1977)
Distinctly unimposing and charming yet equipped with a biting sense of self-depreciation and an unmatched persistence, the theme for Dad’s Army perfectly captures British spirit. In fact, dismissing Hitler’s reign as a “little game” may be one of the most devastatingly British blows ever landed. Bud Flanagan, a vaudevillian comic in his own right, outdid himself.
Rex Features
18/20 3) Curb Your Enthusiasm (“Frolic” by Luciano Michelini) (2000- )
Just beating out Seinfeld’s iconic slap bass is the hilariously cocksure clown march that soundtracks Larry David’s second masterpiece, Curb Your Enthusiasm. “There was something circus-y about it,” he once explained. “It tells the audience: don’t take this seriously.” It’s near-impossible to hear it without picturing a slow zoom into his helpless face, forever mocking his inability to understand a world that goes right over his bald, emblematic head.
HBO
19/20 2) Cheers (“Where Everybody Knows Your Name” by Gary Portnoy) (1982-1993)
The quintessential theme song, almost unanimously agreed upon as the greatest of all time. Gary Portnoy’s “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” is that warm rush you feel stepping in from the cold or, more aptly, a much-needed beer after a long day. A deep exhalation of a programme, Cheers was that sense of relief for so many people, and the theme couldn’t have captured or acknowledged that more perfectly.
20/20 1) Batman (“Batman Theme” by Neal Hefti) (1966-1968)
From the giddy, opening horn flourish to the driving guitar, the chorus of “Batman”’s to the hits of brass choreographed to our hero punching out crooks, you’d be hard pressed to find a better-known superhero theme. Although the franchise would return to darker places, the unabashed campness here harks back to the innocence of watching cartoons on weekend mornings.
Tserkezie longs to see disabled actors playing more diverse characters on-screen. “We have so many different roles in society, just like anyone else – we’re parents, we’re friends, we’re partners – but we don’t see that reflected. We’re still very much hired to play the disability issue and we’re in and out.”
There has also been ongoing debate around actors without disabilities who continue to play disabled characters – or “crip up” – often to great applause and awards.
Actor Dan Edge believes that there is no parity in the industry when it comes to this issue. “A non-disabled actor can have their arm green-screened off for the whole movie and nobody bats an eyelid,” he says. “They never do it the other way round. A non-disabled actor like Eddie Redmayne can play Stephen Hawking and get nominated for an Oscar. Where is the parity? Disability is not a challenge to be played by actors. If disabled talent is not getting cast as disabled people, and nobody is going to green screen us onto non-disabled bodies, what roles can we play?”
There’s a strong argument that non-disabled actors playing the roles of disabled characters prevents disabled actors building any profile.
“There will never be any disabled talent with name value until we’re given the roles to build that profile,” says Edge. “It’s a catch-22; no there isn’t any disabled talent with name value, as you’re not giving us the jobs in the first place.”
Mik Scarlet, an actor and presenter with 30 years experience in the industry, including roles in Brookside and The Bill, feels that it’s time to admit that there are some elements of acting that are acting and there are also some elements of acting that are about identity. “There is an identity in being disabled. There’s a physicality and understanding of the character that even the best actor in the world won’t understand.”
So what can be done to address the ongoing deficit of disabled people across the industry? While there have been a number of schemes and initiatives to try and draw more disabled talent into the industry, many argue that more needs to be done to nurture existing and mid-career talent.
“The industry keeps thinking that it’s always about finding new talent, but it’s about time the industry understood that the answer is to nurture the talent that it has and also to find new,” says Scarlet. “There’s no point everybody starting at the beginning every time this comes up. This cycle has been happening for 30 years and it’s not working.”
And there’s growing consensus that if TV companies genuinely want to be the inclusive, diverse makers of wonderful content that they keep saying they aspire to be, then it’s time that they put their money where their mouth is and start employing disabled people in roles of management that actually shape the policy.
“There isn’t a lack of talent,” says Scarlet. “I think there’s an internal ableism in the industry that hasn’t really been confronted. It comes from management – it’s a policy thing. They need to acknowledge that it exists and decree that TV needs to represent disabled people as one in five of the population.”
And in the age of streaming platforms, where it’s a constant fight for viewers, if broadcasters have good, genuine representation of disabled people on-screen, many feel they will get more eyeballs for these shows.
“It’s worth the investment when disabled people have something like £249bn spending power per year,” says Edge. “We will spend that if we see ourselves represented well. We will subscribe to the streaming platforms if we’re seeing ourselves on-screen. We just want to see our stories told in the same way as everybody else.”
