February 21, 2007...1:17 pm
New BBC Drama featuring Disabled actors
A new, 10-part children’s series about a wheelchair basketball team is coming to CBBC.
Comedy-drama Desperados features a cast of disabled actors, and stars Paralympian and TV presenter Ade Adepitan as a coach searching for new talent to help his team stay in the league.
He told DN: “TV represents a cross-section of society, the black and Asian communities, and the disabled community. There has been a lack of programmes with people with disabilities and a lack of role models.”
But he said there was more to the show than disability. “What’s more important is that it’s a good drama.
“The script is funny as well as being hard-hitting. It’s a real rollercoaster ride.”
He described his fellow actors, many of whom were wheelchair basketball players rather than professional actors, as “all really good, really enthusiastic”.
He said critics’ reactions so far have been positive.
“In the past, attempts to portray people with disabilities haven’t been too good, so people were expecting it to be naff.”
Desperados starts on Wednesday, 31 January, at 5.30pm on the CBBC
channel, and will be coming to BBC2 in March.
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