Developing

Deaf Talent

The rule at BSLBT is that the
creative lead on every programme
must be a Deaf director or
producer, and it doesn’t end there.
Most of our dramas, for instance,
have Deaf writers, and we seek to
engage with Deaf TV talent
wherever possible, in every role
and every genre. That talent comes
from a range of backgrounds,
some freelancing and others
running their own businesses.
Some also work in co-productions
with hearing production companies.

Mutt and Jeff Pictures, for
example, led by Deaf Director/
Producer Louis Neethling, was set
up around the same time as BSLBT
and over the years has provided
us with top-quality drama such as

Small World, Departure Lounge,

Signs of an Affair and recently

our children’s series, Up For It?.

Then there is ITV Signpost’s Giles

Bowman, who won the RTS NE

Rising Star award for his work on

a variety of BSLBT commissions.

Naturally we have Deaf presenters

and actors, some of whom have

made careers not only in Deaf

theatre and television but also in

the mainstream. Rose Ayling-Ellis

(Reverberations) starred in BBC

Drama’s recent Summer of

Rockets. Sophie Stone, who has

appeared in BSLBT dramas, has

also worked on Dr Who and

Shetland. Our young Up For It?

presenters, Nadeem Islam, Mia

Ward and Rosie Benn, have gone