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The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Director of Vision, Jana Bennett, will this evening launch an online directory of disabled actors, comedians and performers with disabilities; the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s nationwide search for disabled talent; and announce that a brand new disabled character will be joining the cast of ´óÏó´«Ã½ One's EastEnders.

The Disabled Actors and Performers Directory is part of a range of initiatives across ´óÏó´«Ã½ Drama, Comedy and Children's intended to support and raise the profile of disabled actors and performers within the ´óÏó´«Ã½ and across the industry.

The directory has been created with the support and collaboration of many talent agencies including Spotlight and Equity. It will be available to both in-house and independent production teams as an accessible research tool.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is also committed to finding and nurturing new talent with the launch of a nationwide talent search.

"Talent Alert", which is being led by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Drama, Comedy and Children's, will seek out new disabled talent, focusing on four cities, starting with Manchester on 8 June, and followed by Glasgow, London, and Cardiff. Casting directors from the ´óÏó´«Ã½ will be hosting two-day workshops in each city.

Jana Bennett said: "It's critical that to connect with all of our audiences, we want to authentically reflect the lives of disabled people on-screen.

"The Talent Alert workshops kick-off our nationwide search for the best disabled actors and performers from around the UK which will help us attract more disabled actors to a career in the arts, online and on screen.

"It is particularly timely that I am able to announce that disabled actor David Proud will be joining the cast of EastEnders later this year."

Executive Producer, EastEnders, Diederick Santer, said: "I'm delighted to welcome David to EastEnders. He's a fine young actor with a wonderfully dry comic delivery, playing an interesting – and possibly rather irritating – character. I'm sure he, and his character Adam, will be strong additions to EastEnders.

"In recent years, we've had a number of regular and guest characters with disabilities – some of them children, like Janet Mitchell, and more recently Syd's son Noah. We've also told the story of Jean Slater, who suffers from bi-polar disorder.

"But this is the first time we've had a regular adult character with a visible disability played by an actor with a disability. It's about time."

David Proud said: "I am delighted and honoured to be joining such a talented cast. I'm very excited and looking forward to bringing the character to life."

Comedienne/performer Francesca Martinez said: "The industry currently under-represents disability on stage and screen so the directory is a fantastic idea.

"It provides a database of disabled performers and actors and enables producers and directors who want to cast disabled actors to find the talent they need at their fingertips. It also encourages the industry to consider casting disabled performers in roles where disability has not been written in.

"I believe that multi-ability casting is a vital step towards creating programmes that truly reflect our society and, in a broader sense, helps audiences embrace diversity by making it visible and a part of normal life."

As part of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s commitment to connect with all its audiences on screen, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Drama, Comedy and Children's have been working hard to create more roles and more authentic storylines for disabled actors across a wide range of productions.

Events bringing together disabled actors, writers and producers, as well as auditions and workshops targeting disabled actors, are all contributing towards the changing landscape.

Notes to Editors

David Proud plays Adam Best

Adam Best is an Oxford University student who arrives in Walford to visit his mother, Manda, during his holidays.

Self-possessed and a bit of snob, Adam thinks his mother's boyfriend Minty isn't good enough for her and neither is the Queen Vic in all its quaintness.

In fact, the only thing Adam does like about Albert Square is Libby Fox, another prospective Oxford student and more importantly Darren Miller's girlfriend.

David played Charlie Johnson in C´óÏó´«Ã½'s Desperados and Blake in ITV2's Secret Diary Of A Call Girl series two.

UM