大象传媒

The way I look at it is that every kid has a dream and every kid should be able to achieve that dream. There鈥檚 so much disabled talent out there that鈥檚 not being used. We had to put a few adjustments in place, but it was nothing major. That鈥檚 the thing, it doesn鈥檛 cost anything. All it costs is the will to do it.

Jordan Hogg, Director Ralph & Katie

Ralph & Katie is the highly anticipated spin-off series from ground-breaking 大象传媒 drama The A Word. Through six episodes we follow newlyweds Ralph and Katie as they embark on their first year of marriage, navigating all the domestic trials and tribulations faced by most couples. Ralph & Katie tells an uplifting story of life with Down’s syndrome.

Ralph, played by Leon Harrop and Katie, played by Sarah Gordy MBE, show viewers the joy and reality of life as a couple on their own terms, dealing with universal issues such as friendship, jealousy, independence and identity. They’re joined by a host of favourite characters from The A Word, as well as some new faces, including the hilarious Craig Cash, who takes the role of well-meaning neighbour, Brian.

It’s a celebration of what can be achieved when we approach things differently. Director Jordan Hogg - who has cerebral palsy - is an advocate for disabled talent on and off screen. He and series producer, Jules Hussey, agreed from the start that with this production, they wanted to change the world.

“The way I look at it is that every kid has a dream and every kid should be able to achieve that dream. There’s so much disabled talent out there that’s not being used. We had to put a few adjustments in place, but it was nothing major. That’s the thing, it doesn’t cost anything. All it costs is the will to do it” says Hogg.

After each episode, viewers can hop over to 大象传媒 Sounds to listen to behind-the-scenes podcast Inside the World of Ralph & Katie. It’s hosted by Leon and Pooky (aka his on-screen mum, Louise), with guest appearances from cast, crew and family members. They reflect on issues raised in the show, sharing their own personal stories with humour and warmth. We’re also treated to some secrets about the filming process - and all is not as it seems.

Episode one of Ralph & Katie sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the series. The couple employ a new Personal Assistant and Katie hopes for a promotion, but true friendships are questioned when Ralph suspects Katie’s boss of being a ‘pity friend.’ We see the pair making important decisions based on what feels right for them, while the wider family learns to cope with letting go.

The atmosphere of fun behind the scenes shines through on-screen. When Creative Coach, Jess Mable Jones was asked to put together a dance routine for the Valentine’s event in episode two, she went straight to Leon for inspiration: “He has the best, most iconic dance moves in his repertoire, so we took all of those moves and popped them together in a sequence, then hey presto, we had a dance. It was amazing.”

Fans of The A Word will be pleased to see the reprise of Tom, played by Matt Greenwood. His character has a love interest of his own and brings a blast of colour and sparkle to the show: “We wanted to take Tom and give him a bit of a spin and I was given creative involvement in that. It’s really important that people see themselves represented and although it’s great having LGBT people on screen, not every LGBT person looks the same, so we need to show differences are good.”

Viewers are cleverly made aware of some of the lesser-known issues faced by those with Down’s Syndrome. In one particularly sensitive scene, Ralph’s doctor explains to him what having a lump in his testicle might mean, and how that type of cancer is more common for men like him. But the master stroke is Ralph’s inner turmoil when sharing this news with Katie, and the way she responds like any wife would: “One day at a time, Ralph.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the biggest fans of the show is Leon’s real-life mum, Tania. She feels Ralph & Katie hits just the right note in portraying what life is like for people with Down’s Syndrome. This is played out brilliantly towards the end of the series with an all-too- familiar battle of whose parents are hosting Christmas Day. Heartbreak is perfectly laced with comedy as we realise the best gift is love, in whatever form it might come packaged.

Written by Peter Bowker alongside a team of emerging disabled writers, this masterpiece showcases talent which has been searching for the spotlight for too long. It challenges our perceptions of what it means to be learning disabled and opens our eyes to how good life can be if we’re given the space to thrive. But most of all, Ralph & Katie is just a great watch and will leave you wanting more.

Ralph & Katie starts on Wednesday 5th October on 大象传媒 1 at 9pm, with two episodes back to back. If you can’t wait a week for the next episodes, you can head over to 大象传媒 iPlayer straight afterwards to catch the rest. And don’t miss podcast Inside the World of Ralph & Katie on 大象传媒 Sounds.