Writing and Broadcasting
Since 2005, I have been involved with the BBC’s disability website, Ouch! Check it out - it's fab, irreverent and full of crip humour. I write a monthly column for them about the nitty gritty of my life as a disabled woman. My favourite time of the month is when along with my co-host Mat Fraser, we record the award winning Ouch! Podcast - with it’s iconic quiz Vegetable, Vegetable or Vegetable, guests and discussions. At Christmas, an Ouch! Tradition is when I deliver my own Queen Liz’s speech.
In the last couple of years, I’ve done a lot more radio, writing, and even some bits of TV. I’m now a regular contributor on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and I did a series of travelogue pieces for You and Yours based on my observations of disability around the world - from the freak shows at Coney Island to the ADAPT disability rights demo in Washington DC, to a look at whether, when it comes to disability, the grass really is greener? Go to my Multimedia page to have a listen to these and more…
I’ve also begun writing for various disability and mainstream media, including Community Care magazine, BBC News Online and The Guardian’s JoePublic where I blogged about the reality TV show Britain’s Missing Top Model, the lack of role models for disabled people and assisted suicide.
In fact, in 2008 I did feel a little like the dark mistress of death as I kept being asked by the media to discuss matters of assisted suicide at every given opportunity. In an attempt to redress media bias, I took part in pieces for 5Live and BBC News Online, putting forward the view that not all disabled people want to die. After half a million hits in the first afternoon, it was followed by an appearance on Newsnight. If you want more information on the campaign against legalising assisted suicide, a good place to start is Living With Dignity.
The highlight of the year, however, has back in June when I was invited on to The Richard and Judy Show. I was there to take part in their live studio discussion on screening embryos for the breast cancer gene – yep… I get all the best comedy gigs!
