Freak Shows?

by Peter Jolly

This week Channel Five have announced that they will be using a newsreader who has been seriously disfigured.

James Partridge suffered severe burns in a car accident aged just 18, the injuries caused scarring and facial disfigurement. For the past 17 years Mr Partridge has run Changing Faces, a leading UK charity who support and represent people who suffer from disfigurements of any description.

As part of a social experiment Mr Partridge will be presenting Five’s lunchtime news all next week (16th – 20th November) and asking the question “would you switch over if someone with a disfigurement was reading the news?”

In a recent survey 44% said they thought it was a good idea to use people with disfigurements on television, however 20% of respondents said they would feel uncomfortable seeing someone disfigured onscreen.

Five’s news comes at the same time that Channel 4 have revealed their brand new comedy/drama which stars a selection of disabled and disfigured actors. Cast Offs has been written by the same people behind Skins and Shameless and stars Changing Faces campaigner Victoria Wright, amongst others.

Wright suffers from a rare genetic disorder known as Cherubism. The condition causes the lower part of the face to continue growing and become much more prominent.

Channel 4 have been quick to defend their new show, anyone familiar with Skins or Shameless won’t be surprised to learn that Cast Offs promises to be full of politically incorrect humour and sex, but Channel 4 stress that they are not putting on a freak show.

Cast Offs is in fact a satirical look at reality television, Wright is joined onscreen by five other disabled actors who play a group of volunteers stranded on a desert island. Tim Gebbels is blind, Sophie Woolley is deaf, Kiruna Stamell is a dwarf and Peter Mitchell is a paraplegic. The show also stars Mat Fraser, a comedian who suffers the effects of thalidomide and is well known for campaigning for awareness and equal rights for people with disabilities.

“This is not something that’s really been seen before, showing us as adults who drink, swear and have sex.” Wright told The Sun about the show.

She added: “I am sure there are going to be a lot of people saying, ‘My goodness, I didn’t know disabled people could do that’.”

Cast Offs starts on 24th November on Channel 4 at 11pm.

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Freak Shows?

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