Podcasts by Access All: Disability News and Mental Health

Climate Change: As seen by disabled people in peril from 2023-12-12T00:31

From fresh-water wells flooded by salty sea water, to avoiding inaccessible emergency shelters, we hear from Ari in Somalia and Melvina in the Solomon Islands about the impact climate change is ...

The musical instrument you can play with your fingers, legs or eyes from 2023-12-04T21:37

Access All collaborates with BBC Radio 3 on an item about the Clarion, a musical instrument which can be played by anyone by anything - from fingers to Eyegaze technology. Our guests are Barry F...

My first year as a disabled astronaut from 2023-11-27T21:27

We head to Cologne, Germany, where we catch-up with the man they dubbed the parastronaut - former Paralympian and surgeon John McFall. He was recruited by the European Space Agency one year ago ...

Who in the Whoniverse is Ruth Madeley? from 2023-11-20T22:01

Actor Ruth Madeley plays wheelchair-using Shirley Anne Bingham in the first of three Doctor Who anniversary specials, with the first one kicking off on Saturday 25 November. Joining her is super...

The Harry Potter stuntman on his life-changing accident from 2023-11-13T21:31

Harry Potter stuntman, David Holmes, opens up about his life-changing accident when he dislocated his spinal cord on the set of The Deathly Hallows Part 1, leading to paralysis. He also talks ab...

Power to the (Disabled) People from 2023-11-06T23:18

This week we look at the challenges and financial risks of using the Equality Act when it comes to transport services. Anna Lawson, professor of law at University of Leeds, and Tim McSharry who ...

Why vision impaired people struggle to pay by touchscreens from 2023-10-27T08:49

Paying by card is simple for most of us, but for some visually impaired people, newer, touch screen card readers can be a problem. RNIB’s Dave Williams tells us about the challenges as well as t...

Disability Hate Crime: What’s really going on? from 2023-10-19T20:00

We meet actor Eloise Pennycott from BBC Three's Phoenix Rise. She lost her hearing four years ago and now, at 18, is one of the sparkiest deaf/disabled people we've come across for a while. She ...

Minister for Disabled People talks to Access All from 2023-10-12T18:47

Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove, joins Nikki Fox In the studio to talk about what he’s been up to since taking over the role in 2022. They go deep into topics including work, benefit...

How do wheelchair users weigh themselves? from 2023-10-05T21:11

When Lizzie posted on Facebook that she hasn’t been able to weigh herself for 22 years, including through three pregnancies, it sparked our interest about access to scales. Gillian also told u...

Are disabled people forgotten in climate disaster plans? from 2023-10-03T15:25

Access All joins forces with The Climate Question this week to explore an important global issue. About 16 percent of the world’s population is thought to be disabled, but they are still 2 to ...

Disability charity takes 'murderous' swipe at government from 2023-09-28T23:01

This week the government launched Ask, Don’t Assume, a campaign to encourage the public to ask before trying to assist disabled people. However, Disability Rights UK accused them of “purple wash...

‘My worry is my care will be cut and I will end up in a care home’ from 2023-09-21T20:48

Budgets are tight at local authorities across the country and this week, Bristol City Council launched a consultation on what it calls its ‘Fair and Affordable Care Policy’. Some residents fear ...

Robot guide dogs to help blind people from 2023-09-14T20:41

Email accessall@bbc.co.uk with stories that you want Access All to cover. Our hosts, Nikki Fox and Emma Tracy really want to hear your ideas. In this episode, we’re checking out access in Japa...

Disability benefits: How they could change from 2023-09-07T21:51

This week, out-of-the-blue, the government released a consultation on changes to the Work Capability Assessment, which it had previously announced it would scrap. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey unrav...

Gail Porter: 'Has anyone here been sectioned?' from 2023-08-31T16:24

Gail Porter's most recent incarnation is in comedy and storytelling related to her experiences of mental ill health, homelessness and hair loss - something she likes to share in the hope it help...

‘I know what madness is, and this is the good kind’ from 2023-08-23T09:00

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is in full swing as Nikki Fox joins Emma Tracey in Scotland to put on a show at Dynamic Earth in front of a live festival audience! Comedian Joe Wells reveals how...

Interview Special: Victoria Canal and Tommy Jessop from 2023-08-17T21:00

Musician Victoria Canal won the Ivor Novello Rising Star award in May, and has built an army of fans since supporting Hozier on tour around the UK this summer. She tells Nikki Fox and Emma Trac...

After the honeymoon from 2023-08-10T19:04

When education finishes, where do young disabled adults with complex needs find their home and a fulfilling life? One couple from Surrey have, with council backing, set-up a residential care hom...

‘You’ve been ablesplained!’ from 2023-08-03T18:49

If you have problems with your bones, have you thought about drinking more milk? Rude and often silly questions can be an annoying part of everyday disabled life, but did you know this microaggr...

One disabled air passenger, two tickets from 2023-07-27T23:20

The BBC's Alex Taylor investigated 100 airlines to see how many offer free or discounted airline tickets for personal assistants to travel. Industry guidelines recommend it, but how many really ...

The sea shanty star and anxiety attacks from 2023-07-20T20:21

Remember the ridiculously popular Wellerman song? This week, the 28-year-old star behind the sea shanty, Nathan Evans, joins presenters Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey to talk about his mental health....

‘I’m just a nerd living in a care home in North Yorkshire’ from 2023-07-13T22:34

Getting tickets to see Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour has been widely reported as difficult. But getting tickets for accessible seats at Wembley has proved even harder and has had to be done the old ...

Ellie Simmonds: 'Who actually am I?' from 2023-07-06T21:54

Paralympian and former Strictly contestant Ellie Simmonds speaks to Emma Tracey about having been given up by her mother, in part, due to concern at her having achondroplasia - a condition which...

‘Lewis Capaldi has done so much for the Tourette’s community’ from 2023-06-29T23:01

Singer Lewis Capaldi’s Glastonbury performance went down in history after the crowd stepped in when his voice cut-out. He’s announced he won’t be touring for the foreseeable as he adjusts to a r...

Rose Ayling-Ellis: ‘We all need the feeling of belonging somewhere’ from 2023-06-22T18:45

In her new documentary, Signs For Change, Rose Ayling-Ellis goes on a personal journey into the deaf experience to ask if attitudes are changing towards deaf people. The actor and Strictly win...

Festivals: 'It was just a complete nightmare from start to finish" from 2023-06-16T11:17

This year's Download music festival in Leicestershire has received lots of negative feedback on social media from disabled people. From unstable wheelchair stands to tents being pitched too clos...

It’s in your Best Interests to listen to this from 2023-06-08T20:35

Best Interests is the new BBC One drama about teenager Marnie, who has a life-limiting condition and whose doctors have recommended her treatment should be stopped. Bafta-winning writer Jack Tho...

‘It was petrifying’: The family left on the side of the M1 from 2023-06-01T18:52

Sophie Smart was travelling back from a birthday outing with her eight-year-old son Karson, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, when the car’s clutch failed on the M1.

As members of Motab...

Life's an accessible beach from 2023-05-25T18:56

Which would you prefer, sand in your swimsuit or sand in your wheelchair? Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey discuss the 300 beaches that have been made accessible for disabled people in Greece. Little...

‘I hit the fire alarm and evacuated the airport’ from 2023-05-18T19:46

It's Mental Health Awareness Week. Nikki and Emma take a deep-dive into the topic of anxiety and find out when feeling anxious can be positive and when it turns detrimental. Faris Khalifa talks ...

The Lost Boy from 2023-05-12T09:55

This week, Noah Matthews Matofsky, reportedly the first actor with Down's syndrome to land a major role in a Disney movie, takes time out to speak with Nikki and Emma about his time on the set o...

‘There weren't any ramps back in 1953’ from 2023-05-04T20:12

TV presenters JJ Chalmers and Ade Adepitan join Nikki and Emma to chat about their roles in the Coronation. From disabled veterans to wellbeing, we unpick the weekend and also take a look at the...

The disabled woman who hired a sex worker from 2023-04-27T19:25

Aged 43, Melanie had never had sex. After a suggestion from her support worker, all this changed. She went online and found Chayse, a sex worker who was able to sensitively meet her needs. In an...

Strike a pose from 2023-04-20T20:07

This week Nikki and Emma are joined by British Vogue cover star, Sinéad Burke, who has been assisting its editor-in-chief to embrace disability inclusion. She has the look, she has the words...a...

Magic money from 2023-04-13T18:15

BAFTA award winning magician Fergus Flanagan talks to Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey about OCD and how his intrusive thoughts disappear when he performs. And is he able to guess what word Nikki is th...

Is ChatGPT a disability ally? from 2023-04-06T16:42

Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey look at the lack of accessibility when it comes to getting smear tests if you have a physical disability, with the help of Samantha Dixon, the CEO of Jo's Cervical Canc...

'I haven't had a door on my bathroom for years' from 2023-03-31T09:00

Claire has been waiting for three years for her council to make adaptations to her home so that she can live in comfort, have a family life and keep danger to a minimum. She talks to Nikki Fox a...

TV’s Sophie Morgan’s “rage” over Blue Badge car theft from 2023-03-24T10:00

TV presenter Sophie Morgan has been left frustrated and has lost that all-important passport to parking that disabled people cherish. We find out how digital badges are helping some drivers avoi...

What’s happening with disability benefits? from 2023-03-16T22:31

The chancellor announced the controversial Work capability Assessment is to be scrapped by 2026-27 in favour of a new test based largely on PIP – and it has raised many questions. Emma Tracey ...

Goodbye Judy, and thank you from 2023-03-10T09:14

World-renowned US disability rights campaigner, Judith Heumann, died last weekend aged 75. Her friend Lawrence Carter-Long - co-director of DisArt - joins Nikkki and Emma from California to cele...

Strictly's Amy Dowden: "I was seen as a risk" from 2023-03-03T10:00

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden reveals she was always seen as a "risk" by choreographers and dance partners who feared her Crohn's disease would impact their careers and insurance plans. ...

Comedian Rosie Jones on imposter syndrome and ableism from 2023-02-24T10:00

Comedian Rosie Jones is about to begin her first solo tour called Triple Threat but reveals life in the limelight can be pretty tricky with ableism and imposter syndrome to deal with. She also h...

When Access All took over Newscast from 2023-02-17T22:51

Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey, who are standing in for Adam, speak to actor and SNP member Brian Cox about Nicola Sturgeon’s departure, and who he would like to see in charge of the party.

And...

ADHD and the trend of diagnosis by TikTok from 2023-02-10T10:00

With more than 20 billion views of the hashtag #ADHD, some people have turned to TikTok to self-diagnose the condition rather than wait for a formal assessment. BBC journalist, Ben Moore, inve...

'Wonderstruck': The author who learned to read again from 2023-02-03T14:13

Loneliness is part of life and can be difficult to overcome, but Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey come armed with solutions, recognising those solutions are sometimes different for disabled people. Listen

Huw Edwards on depression: 'I'm not the least bit embarrassed' from 2023-01-27T13:56

After three years of shielding, thousands of immunosuppressed people are campaigning for the approval of a drug which would protect them against Covid-19, where vaccines have failed. Mark Oakl...

Disabled people are up, carers are down from 2023-01-20T10:00

The Office for National Statistics have released some disability stats that some are finding a little surprising. The number of people who declared themselves disabled in the 2021 Census didn’t ...

GP: 'The whole NHS now is a big bin-fire' from 2023-01-12T23:01

Anna Morell visits Nikki Fox to discuss her bad experiences in A&E, which have been magnified by being disabled. While wheelchair-using GP, Hannah Barham-Brown, gives a useful overview of ho...

The people who train their own guide dogs from 2023-01-06T10:00

With long delays for people needing guide dogs we speak with Isobel in Belfast who trained her own guide dog and also to Pawtected, an organisation which helps people train their own assistance ...

Access All Christmas Special - Best Bits of 2022 from 2022-12-30T10:00

We've had a ball since we launched back in April. Nikki and Emma were strangers at the beginning of the year and now have become great friends through some very open conversations and a bit of...

Access All Christmas Special – The Governess Anne Hegerty from 2022-12-23T10:00

Our catch-up with Anne Hegerty was such a success, we decided as a Christmas treat we’d bring you the full, extended conversation!

Refreshingly honest and hilarious, Anne revels how Autis...

Mental health: The festive survival guide from 2022-12-16T10:00

The festive season can be a tough time for many people, from financial worries and loneliness to the pressures of making everything perfect. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey are joined by broadcaster S...

Look who’s audio describing you from 2022-12-09T10:00

The families of seven teenagers with complex needs have just one week to find a new school after they were asked to leave Purbeck View School in Dorset following an “inadequate” rating by Ofsted...

The mystery of the missing disability minister… solved! from 2022-12-02T10:00

He might be the third Minister of State for Disabled People in as many months, but MP Tom Pursglove has plans to stick around. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey take Access All on the road to the Glob...

One giant leap for disabled people? from 2022-11-25T10:00

It’s been one small step for man, one giant leap for disabled people this week as the European Space Agency announced the world’s first disabled astronaut. Paralympian John McFall was revealed...

What's in the Autumn Statement for disabled people? from 2022-11-17T20:29

Benefits are set to go up with inflation, according to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement, but what's in it for you if you're disabled? Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey get the crucial lowdown f...

Ellie Simmonds: “Strictly gave me confidence” from 2022-11-11T10:00

The Access All team were shocked when Ellie Simmonds left this year’s season of Strictly Come Dancing – the first person with dwarfism to compete on the show. But the dancing competition’s lo...

‘How Taylor Swift helps me to tell the time’ from 2022-11-04T10:00

Dyscalculia is thought to affect 6% of the population but many people have never heard of it. The learning disability affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and is considered to be par...

'I'm visually impaired, but cancer information wasn't accessible' from 2022-10-28T09:00

Anna Tylor's life changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The Chair of the RNIB, who is visually impaired, says she was "horrified" at not being offered accessible medical information...

“People have turned off their fridges to save money” from 2022-10-21T09:00

Inflation went up by 10% over the last year, driven mostly by rising food prices, prompting disability charities to call on the government to avoid “disaster” and raise benefits in-line with it....

From three carers to none from 2022-10-13T23:01

In an Access All exclusive, we reveal that rising petrol prices are driving carers out of the profession. Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey chat to wheelchair user Natalie from Shropshire, who went from...

The mystery of the missing disability minister from 2022-10-07T09:00

A month into Prime Minister Liz Truss’s premiership and there’s still no confirmation about who the new Minister of State for Disabled People will be…or is there? Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey do so...

Anne Hegerty: ‘Quizzing is easy, household tasks are the hard bit’ from 2022-09-30T09:00

Known as The Governess on quiz show The Chase, Anne Hegerty regularly puts wannabe-quiz champions firmly in their place. But while quizzing comes easily, Anne reveals to Nikki Fox and Emma Tra...

The battle for BSL from 2022-09-23T09:00

More than 250 deaf people are taking the UK government to court over the lack of British Sign Language (BSL) in televised Covid briefings at the start of the pandemic. Nikki is joined by campaig...

Family of six share a one-bed flat while new house is made accessible from 2022-09-16T09:00

The Verala family thought life was about to get better when they were offered a three-bedroom council house which would be suitable for their seven-year-old son, Joel, a wheelchair-user with qua...

'Wet wipes and dry shampoo get you a long way' from 2022-09-02T09:00

Cross-party peer Baroness Jane Campbell reveals to Nikki Fox that a lack of personal assistants (PA) working in the UK makes her "fear" disabled people could end up living in institutions once m...

‘Half my income goes on energy bills’ from 2022-08-26T09:00

The charity, Sense, has made the unusual move of giving out cash directly to households who have a family member with complex disabilities and are struggling with the rising cost of living.

The summer catch-up from 2022-08-19T09:00

Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey chat through some of their favourite clips from the podcast so far and play an outtake from sit-in presenter Martin Dougan who reveals all the unlikely jobs he's held d...

The integrated games from 2022-08-07T23:01

The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham have seen more para-sport events than ever sharing the stage with non-disability sports. So back into the mainstream comes the debate about whether the Paral...

Locked away in Ukraine’s orphanages from 2022-08-05T09:00

Long before Russia invaded Ukraine, the country was dealing with a problem - the abandoning of disabled people to institutions that weren’t fit for purpose. In a collaboration with Ukrainecast, ...

'My leg amputation was the best day of my life' from 2022-07-29T09:00

Para-swimmer Alice Tai elected to have a below-knee amputation in January, after her arms became so sore from using crutches to get around. Since then she’s re-learned to swim and is now competi...

‘I was stuck in my flat for 12 days in the searing heat’ from 2022-07-22T09:00

With record temperatures bearing down on London, Adam Gabsi has been stuck in his flat for 12 days. The musician with multiple sclerosis (MS) uses a wheelchair but hasn’t been able to leave his ...

Staying cool in heatwave hell from 2022-07-15T09:00

As the UK braces for record temperatures how do disabled people cool down in a heatwave? Jo Southall talks about the "body armour" she wears to keep her core cool while Dr Katherine Fletcher s...

The actress and the stolen photos from 2022-07-08T09:00

In a mindfully politics-free zone this week, disabled actress Melissa Johns talks about her "worst nightmare" coming to fruition when nude photos of her were leaked online. The Coronation Stre...

'Dad had to carry me up stairs to the LGBT party' from 2022-07-01T11:10

As LGBT Pride month makes way for Disability Pride Month, UCAS exclusively reveals to Access All that disabled students are twice as likely to identify as LGBT. Connor, a trans man, and Lucy, ...

Hitting the mosh pit in my wheelchair from 2022-06-24T09:00

After a rough few weeks for disabled air passengers, Access All learns insurance caps on damaged wheelchairs could be removed As Glastonbury Festival gets under way, guest presenter Martin Dou...

"100 miles from home, no one could visit me” from 2022-06-17T14:03

Being in a mental health crisis is an already distressing experience, yet for hundreds of patients the situation is made worse when sent away from home for treatment due to a lack of beds. Exper...

Wobbling up that hill from 2022-06-10T07:55

As singer Kate Bush climbs the charts once again, disabled super-fan Nikki Fox reveals she believes dancing to Bush's music helped her keep walking for longer than she expected. Nikki and Emma...

Escape plan from 2022-05-27T08:45

Disabled people who live in high-rise flats reveal to Access All their fear of not being able to escape from a fire after the government turns down mandatory evacuation plans that were recommend...

"It's happened again" - Frank Gardner left on a plane from 2022-05-20T07:57

After the BBC's Frank Gardner was left on a plane at Heathrow Airport waiting for his wheelchair to be returned to him upon landing - we ask, why does this keep happening to wheelchair-users? ...

'I was scared the guide dog would be electrocuted by the live wire' from 2022-05-13T10:03

The number of blind and visually impaired people who say they have fallen from train station platforms onto rail tracks is shocking, and something Access All explores this week.

It follows...

Being gay and autistic at Eurovision from 2022-05-06T12:51

When he was a child, Australian singer Sheldon Riley was diagnosed with autism and says he was never expected to talk. But next week he’ll be competing in the Eurovision song contest. He tells ...

‘I used a hairdryer to warm my daughter’s feet’ from 2022-04-29T04:00

In the very first episode of Access All, Nikki Fox meets the families with disabled children who rely on specialist medical equipment and are facing very difficult decisions as energy bills in t...

Ukraine War: 'I think of my wheelchair more than myself now' from 2022-03-18T15:34

Wheelchair user Tanya fled Ukraine for Poland, worried she couldn't evacuate from her fourth floor flat in an emergency. And an autistic journalist left Moscow when her article denouncing the ...

The Power of Snow from 2022-03-10T15:54

The Winter Paralympics are under way in Beijing, featuring a host of daredevils who ski, board and sometimes crash down mountains. A large portion of ParalympicsGB is made up of military veter...

The lowdown on being disabled in China from 2022-03-03T18:37

As the Winter Paralympics begin in Beijing, join us on a whistle-stop tour of disabled life in China.

Jia, a 26-year-old student who uses a wheelchair, says she sees more disabled people o...

‘I often get sepsis, if I get Covid my days are numbered’ from 2022-02-25T18:34

Our guests were all told to shield at the start of the pandemic. Gareth has Crohn's disease and receives nutrition through a line in his chest leaving him open to sepsis. George struggles with...

Do accessible sex toys exist? from 2022-02-18T15:57

In 2020 the global sex toy market was valued at more than £24bn by industry experts* – but does it cater enough to disabled people?

Curious? Explore the world of accessible (and inaccessib...

Kate and Holly: Covid finally strikes after all that shielding from 2022-02-11T17:53

Our reality podcast continues. Kate has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and is recovering from a hysterectomy when, after managing to avoid it for almost two years, she contracts covid-19. Holly has no...

Kate and Holly: Covid hits after two years of shielding from 2022-02-04T16:20

Our reality podcast. Kate has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, is a mum of two, wife to an immunocompromised Holly, and is awaiting a hysterectomy. A complex situation where Covid restrictions have broug...

Mentally Interesting: The Myth of the Strong Black Woman from 2022-01-28T16:24

Rianna Walcott, The co-editor of upcoming anthology The Colour of Madness, says being black made it harder to get mental health support. She explains why some in her family are wary of medicatio...

Mentally Interesting: What loneliness is from 2022-01-20T15:23

They're useful to many, but Seaneen often feels isolated during mental health awareness weeks because her story hasn't had a perfect ending. The presenters discuss how standing out as a mental...

Mentally Interesting: Anxiety or heart attack? from 2022-01-13T17:13

Can you tell if your pain or symptoms mean you have a physical or mental problem? Our presenters often delay getting medical help because of this and worry everything will be put down to menta...

Mentally Interesting: 'Something to take care of' from 2022-01-05T15:01

Having pets has helped presenters Seaneen and Mark with their mental health ... though Seaneen admits it’s tricky hiding cats from landlords. Hear listeners' stories including gaming journalis...

Merry Ouchmas: The festive special 2021 from 2021-12-20T14:35

As 2021 has been a strange old year, the BBC Ouch team decided to look back at some of their favourite podcasts from the past 365 days. From space travel on the “vomit comet” to Love Island, C...

Little Miss Burden from 2021-12-02T14:20

Matilda Feyisayo Ibini became physically disabled at five but wasn’t diagnosed with the progressive muscle-weakening condition Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy until aged 13. Her radio play, Littl...

'It was magical' - the first disabled crew to fly in zero-gravity from 2021-11-09T08:21

While millions of people might dream about space travel, with the exacting requirements often expected of astronauts some disabled people might have counted themselves out...until now.

Mis...

What’s climate change got to do with disability? from 2021-10-28T16:03

With COP26, the big UN climate conference, kicking off in Glasgow next week, the BBC Ouch team got wondering - how will the one billion disabled people living around the world be impacted by the...

Mentally Interesting: Bananas for mental wellbeing? from 2021-10-06T12:25

Presenters Seaneen and Mark trade their own war stories about work. Joining them is CEO of the Business Disability Forum, Diane Lightfoot, who helps big companies employ (and keep) disabled staf...

'We found our first Paralympian at the supermarket' from 2021-09-03T16:21

Aruba had never had a Paralympic team until Shardea Arias de la Cruz, a student in her 20s, decided to make it happen.

From finding her first athlete at the supermarket, to his sudden disa...

‘I had a complete breakdown at the track’ from 2021-09-01T14:39

Libby Clegg MBE and Samantha Kinghorn, two of Britain’s top female Paralympians, describe their journeys to Tokyo 2020. Libby Clegg won gold at Rio 2016 then dealt with mental health difficult...

The family taking rivalry to a new level in Tokyo from 2021-08-31T19:50

Boccia is not just a sport, but a family affair for the McCowan family.

Brothers, Scott and Jamie, who both have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, play Boccia for ParaGB while their parents, Ga...

Tokyo twice: A gold medal in wheelchair what? from 2021-08-27T16:30

Caz Walton was just 17 when she competed at the 1964 Paralympic Games in Tokyo and won gold for Great Britain. From the wheelchair slalom to organiser of athletes, Paralympic legend Caz Walkon...

The lowdown on being disabled in Japan from 2021-08-26T14:07

The world's eyes are on Tokyo with the Paralympic Games taking place - but what's it like to live in Japan if you're disabled? Mizuki Hsu grew up in Kyoto as a wheelchair-user. Now a mother-of...

‘A love letter to people with disabilities’ from 2021-08-20T12:23

With just days to go before the Tokyo Paralympics, an international campaign called WeThe15 has been launched to improve the lives of the 1.2bn disabled people around the world.

Meet Sout...

“I backed into the wall at 200mph” from 2021-08-12T14:44

Indy car driver Sam Schmidt was paralysed from the shoulders down when he reversed into a wall at 200 miles an hour.

This summer, and more than 20 years after his accident, Sam made his se...

How do you make the Love Island villa accessible? from 2021-08-05T11:07

Love Island is in full swing and this year it featured its first ever physically disabled contestant. Hugo Hammond, who has just been dumped, is a 24-year-old PE teacher who was born with a club...

'I've lost all of the independence I worked so hard for' from 2021-07-16T13:08

The end of lockdown is nigh for many of us! Legal restrictions on mask wearing and social distancing in England are going, the other nations are taking it more slowly.

Disability charities...

‘My harassment got worse when I picked up my white cane’ from 2021-07-05T09:00

Warning: This podcast discusses sexual harassment and assault, so there is occasionally some graphic content. When Dr Amy Kavanagh started using a white cane, she realised she was being sexua...

Do we really want to start hugging again? from 2021-06-18T10:40

Kate Monaghan has a painful energy-zapping condition, her wife Holly is on immuno-suppressants and they have two small children. Adjusting to the world as lockdown relaxes has been eventful. T...

Mentally Interesting: ‘I don’t get a holiday from myself’ from 2021-05-14T16:34

As Covid restrictions ease in the UK, our presenters share their mental health travel stories. Why is Seaneen banned from using one of the budget airlines? Why does Mark stay in hotels instead...

‘I was told I was a curse on my family’ from 2021-05-06T23:01

Warning: This podcast discusses domestic abuse and sexual violence with occasional graphic content. Ebere* was 31 when she finally fled Nigeria for the UK to study, with hopes she had left dom...

‘I wasn’t allowed to look out of the window’ from 2021-04-30T15:40

Warning: This podcast discusses domestic abuse with occasional graphic content.

Emma Dalmayne was just 17-years-old when she fled her abusive partner with her baby. Emma, who is autistic,...

Mentally Interesting: I couldn’t hold my baby from 2021-04-20T11:15

Seaneen has a bipolar diagnosis, so when she experienced sudden and severe anxiety after having baby Jack in January, the perinatal mental health team came straight away.

A medication inc...

Do we get a 'lockdown dog' to help our disabled child? from 2021-04-13T08:38

Our lockdown couple Kate and Holly adopted a toddler with restricted growth during the pandemic. She calms down around dogs, but does she really need therapeutic assistance from an animal? And...

‘Friendly fire’ in my brain led to me being wrongly sectioned from 2021-04-08T09:47

Model Lucy Dawson was just 21 when she was wrongly sectioned for three months. Doctors believed she was experiencing a mental health breakdown, but she later learned she had encephalitis – a ra...

‘I really wanted to give Mum and Dad a hug – it was awkward’ from 2021-04-06T15:02

The day has finally arrived!

After many months of lockdown we’re all finally allowed to meet friends and family – outside and in groups of six or as two households. For Kate, the rela...

Lockdown: The anniversary no one wanted from 2021-03-31T14:46

The UK has just marked one year since it officially went into its first Covid-19 lockdown. It’s the anniversary no one wanted.

On this episode we discuss the highs and lows of those 365 da...

Did I think of myself as gay and disabled 10 years ago? from 2021-03-26T14:54

Kate Monahan has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and her wife Holly is a transplant recipient. Filling out the Census form should take 10 minutes they say but it prompted a big debate for this couple. ...

'We adopted a disabled child during the pandemic' from 2021-03-19T14:54

Kate Monaghan has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, her wife Holly is on immunosuppressants, their newly adopted daughter Gracie has dwarfism and four-year-old Scout is returning to school. Want to kno...

'Dating&Disability - how to navigate the agencies' from 2021-03-17T18:41

Recently journalist Lucy Webster wanted to join a matchmaking website but, before the company took her subscription fee, they warned she might find it difficult. Lucy was upset by the response a...

'The school phoned, Scout's hurt' from 2021-03-12T13:26

Kate Monahan shares personal moments in this virtual audio diary documenting a family of four in lockdown as a Mum with chronic pain and mobility issues. Four-year-old Scout returns to school...

Mentally Interesting: My grief from 2021-03-11T10:00

Mark's sister Alison died of covid-19 on 14 January 2021. She was 39. On this episode of Mentally Interesting, He and Seaneen explore grief and how it affects your mental health. Seaneen gentl...

'There's a difference between home-schooling and emergency education' from 2021-03-05T16:05

Kate Monaghan has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and her wife Holly is immunocompromised, meaning a year of shielding with two young children has been anything but easy!

But recent government ann...

Let’s add partner guilt to disability lockdown woes from 2021-02-26T12:48

With an end now possibly in sight, Kate feels she's letting Holly down. Her painful mobility issues are causing real problems for her this week - she desperately wants to play with the kids but ...

'I didn’t even know what bisexual was' from 2021-02-20T00:01

Dating can be tricky at the best of times, but it can come with a unique set of challenges if you have a learning disability and are LGBT.

Ben Hunte, the BBC's LGBT correspondent, speaks t...

‘I’m having a rest in the car, with no one screaming my name’ from 2021-02-19T16:01

After immune-compromised Holly had her vaccine last week, Kate has now been called to get hers. Excitement levels are high but she wonders how her body will react to the jab. Meanwhile, keep...

The day of the jab from 2021-02-12T11:12

After almost a year of shielding, Holly gets her Covid-19 vaccination. What's the process once you arrive at the center? How do you feel afterwards? If a family member sidles in, might they ge...

Mentally Interesting: The bum-kicking machine from 2021-02-10T18:09

Seaneen Molloy and Mark Brown return with their witty and self-depricating take on mental health. They draw on their personal and professional experiences to talk about the awkward stuff so "you...

I sat outside Gran's funeral from 2021-02-05T15:46

Kate Monaghan has decided to attend her grandma's funeral rather than watch online. But, because wife Holly has had her immune system suppressed, Kate must attend solo and sit in the crematorium...

Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte on showbiz and disability from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

From Los Angeles, Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte chats about his latest role playing a character who, unlike himself, is not disabled, Plus Auti Angel from reality TV's Push Girls, and Gail Williamson dis...

Who will buy me a wheelchair? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Using donation sites to buy whizzy wheelchairs and what the world is saying right now about disability on Twitter. A weekly short podcast from the Ouch team: Damon, Kathleen and Kate.

show 108: Adopt an activist from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

The disability protest group Direct Action Network (DAN) is 25 years old. One of its founders talks to us about the campaigns which brought it fame - and notoriety - in the 1990s. Plus, we meet th...

show 107: Mental vacuum from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Meet The Vacuum Cleaner, also known as artist and activist James Leadbitter. He invites you to help him design the perfect asylum and talks about the time he wrote his own mental health act then se...

show 106: The care home crusader from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

The man in his 30s who lives in a care home and takes companies to task for disability discrimination. Why do some disabled people hate being called inspirational? Also, cooking with no sight, and ...

show 105: Biswas not Tiswas from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Our citizen journalists report on animals and cures. Meet the student whose path altered when she became disabled in the first week of her Dance A-level. Also, the alternative politics of Asperger ...

show 104: Purple people from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Heather Mills is out of the Winter Paralympics. Are The Undatables really undatable? What do you do when your care role ends? And why do we say the disability pound is purple? Rob Crossan and Kate...

show 103: Bah humbug from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

On this month's show: Three real life Grinches, Paralympian Hannah Cockroft talks about wheelchair dancing on Strictly, and are disabled people in need of better sex education?

show 102: Not The Truman Show from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Video-blogger Jonny says being open is good, the disability autobiography quiz and the future access technology that's already here. With Rob Crossan.

show 101: Disability 'mate' crime from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

The Last Leg's Alex Brooker on how he almost became a Paralympian himself. That great disability perk, queue-jumping at Disney, is on the way out. And why disability hate crime experts would like o...

show 100: Sex and relationships special from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

How does a young man go about losing his virginity when his arms and legs don't work? What's it like to be both gay and disabled? And is falling in love with your careworker ever a good thing? Dis...

show 99: Hops and halos from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Ever heard of the invalid stout sold a hundred years ago to cure disability? Also, the man who says volunteering saved his life after a spell in hospital. And are disabled comedians duty bound to m...

show 98: The new girl from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

This month: Cerebal palsy beer brings freshness to disability awareness. Sally Gardner, dyslexic author of Maggot Moon, talks about how she hates the word disability. Plus sex, relationships and sa...

show 97: Can disabled people be powerful? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

This month: The online list of disabled people with influence, good and bad graduation ceremony memories, an interview with paralysed fundraiser Claire Lomas and, on Liz Carr's last show, we hear s...

Ouch! show 96: Sledge hockey, stick men and welfare from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

We discuss how benefit cuts could affect the economy, how campaigning on social media can be unhealthy as well as positive and how to communicate by message cards if you fall over or don't want to ...

Ouch! show 95: Things that make you go ouch! from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

In this show the chat ranges from Nazi anti-disability propaganda to benefit reform and the recent "disabled children should be put down" comments from a councillor. Features The Comedians with Dis...

Ouch! show 94: Sex workers, Radio One MS reveal and Special Olympics from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Was it tough for DJ Scott Mills's sidekick, Beccy, to reveal to Radio One listeners that she has MS? Are Special Olympics and Deaflympics overshadowed by Paralympic sport? And with The Sessions fil...

Ouch! show 93: What cochlear implants hear... from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

This month: Is it helpful when celebs reveal they have mental health difficulties? Do you find it humiliating to receive disability benefits? And the personal story of William who had a cochlear im...

Ouch! talk show 92: Staying stylish, blind busking from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

See England through the eyes of American Muslim comedian with cerebral palsy, Maysoon Zayid. Plus, an app created to help disabled people stay stylish, the blind man earning a living by whistling a...

Ouch! #91, 12 Nov 12: Taser, tablets, travel from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

The blind man mistakenly tasered by police and superstorm Sandy are the stories under discussion. Plus, how computer tablets are making a difference and the wheelchair-using traveller Zach Anner te...

'Waiting for the vaccine is like waiting on a kidney' from 2021-01-29T14:44

Lockdown with two small children was never going to be easy but this week Kate is getting severe pain due to her impairments especially when trying to play with and cuddle their newly adopted ch...

Katie and Harvey Price on growing up and moving out from 2021-01-22T19:06

Ahead of their new documentary, Harvey and Katie Price join Emma Tracey for a Zoom chat. While Harvey’s pasta cooks, he tells us about his love of frogs, trains and drawing. Katie describes th...

Being disabled in the third lockdown from 2021-01-22T17:13

Kate Monaghan has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and endometriosis, whilst her wife Holly is the recipient of a kidney transplant and has been shielding since the start of the pandemic. Last spring K...

The Mental Health Act and Me from 2021-01-16T16:16

The government has finally released its recommendations on how to modernise the Mental Health Act. The act is used to detain - section - someone if they are considered to be a risk to themselv...

Parenting in a pandemic, with a learning disability from 2021-01-12T13:03

Learning disabled actress Donna Lavin has played the lead role in the hugely successful BBC Radio Four drama The Pursuits of Darleen Fyles for ten series. Each 15 minute episode follows her an...

Mentally interesting: Loss from 2020-12-21T10:00

Meet Mark and Seaneen, the duo who talk about the awkward stuff so you don’t have to. Seaneen Molloy lives in Belfast. She only really leaves the house for the weekly shop and antenatal checks...

The Ouch Quizmas Special 2020 from 2020-12-17T13:57

This year’s Ouch Christmas quiz features some very topical dilemmas and questions based on the biggest disability news and events of 2020. Actor Mat Fraser, comedian Rosie Jones and Paralympia...

‘I need to remind myself to talk to people’ from 2020-11-19T13:47

The first week of November saw the clocks go back and the highest levels of loneliness since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to the Office for National Statistics. It said 4.2million...

‘Well Defined Chaos’ from 2020-11-13T17:04

The 1800 Seconds on Autism podcast is back by popular demand. Here’s the first episode, which is based on listener emails. Presenter Jamie's assistant Oli gets some appreciation, Jamie describ...

The DDA and Me from 2020-11-08T00:05

On the 25th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act, BBC News Correspondent Nikki Fox asks three generations of disabled people about the impact it has had on their lives.

Holly ...

CripTales: Thunderbox from 2020-11-06T11:17

It's 1968 and Sue is in the toilet at a pop festival. Abortion, which has just been legalised, provides a moment of liberation. But for wheelchair user Sue, it also throws up difficult questions...

CripTales: The Real Deal from 2020-11-05T15:00

In this monologue starring Liz Carr, Meg thinks her neighbour is a benefits cheat. She is compiling details about him in order to shop him for fraud. But, unexpectedly, he forges a friendship wi...

CripTales: Audition from 2020-11-04T17:19

In this monologue from the series CripTales, disabled actor Mat Fraser sits in the waiting room before an audition, dreading how it will turn out. He relives some of his best and worst moments i...

'I was howling with pain and there was blood everywhere' from 2020-11-03T09:52

In 2004 BBC journalist and author Frank Gardner was shot six times by Islamist extremists while on a reporting job in Saudi Arabia.

Against all the odds, he survived. His cameraman, Simon ...

‘I couldn’t hear my voice’ from 2020-10-23T08:45

A crash in Morgan Fox's final season as a cyclist left him with fractured ribs and a collapsed lung. Then, an overdose of antibiotics given during his treatment led to almost total hearing loss....

There’s Covid On Campus from 2020-10-09T16:34

From online learning to entire halls of residences being placed in lockdown, students across the country have found themselves at university in extremely testing circumstances. Those with a di...

‘There’s no right way to be a student’ from 2020-10-02T17:29

Starting University can be incredibly exciting but also daunting – especially given the current Covid-19 restrictions. And what if you have a disability to manage too? Are you worried it might...

‘I miss the office banter’ from 2020-09-25T12:20

As working from home becomes the new normal, is it really all its cracked up to be? Or could it actually be making the situation worse for disabled staff?

Simon Minty chats with Nana Marfo...

'Remember when we were stockpiling toilet roll' from 2020-09-21T12:25

Kate Monaghan has been isolating with her wife Holly and daughter Scout since March.

Kate has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and endometriosis and Holly is the recipient of a kidney transplant and...

'It is possible to be tired and in pain and happy at the same time' from 2020-09-14T07:56

Some people recovering from Covid-19 are experiencing chronic fatigue symptoms and struggling to manage their limited energy. Jade Gray-Christie tells her story and gets tips from two women who ...

The schoolgirl who broke her neck and became a racing driver from 2020-08-12T10:51

Nathalie McGloin is the world's only female tetraplegic racing driver.

But as a teenager she had no interest in cars or racing and had plans to become a lawyer.

Then, two weeks into ...

'Did anyone else miss sex during chemo?' from 2020-08-07T10:27

Keiligh Baker was diagnosed with chronic leukaemia three years ago and became single just before the pandemic hit - now she's decided to give internet dating a go, but how does that work when ca...

Shielding Limbo from 2020-07-31T15:21

Married couple Kiruna Stamell and Gareth Berliner haven’t been further than the local chemist since early March. That won’t change, they say, unless masks become mandatory in all public places o...

Maskcast: “If I’m struggling, be kind” from 2020-07-24T14:01

Face coverings are compulsory in shops and on public transport at the moment (with a few exemptions) – but how will it impact your day-to-day lives? Maddie Molloy lip-reads so sometimes needs ...

'My house became a bit like rehab’ from 2020-07-10T13:48

Only last year, 28-year-old Ben Robinson's alcohol dependency was so severe he was days away from death.

Following a stint in rehab and months of hard work rebuilding his life, he felt hi...

Alex Brooker: ‘I’m the most comfortable I’ve ever been with my disability’ from 2020-07-06T12:22

Alex Brooker was born with impairments in all four limbs and has been cracking jokes about it on Channel Four’s The Last Leg since 2012. But becoming a dad and losing his own father has prompt...

A&E in lockdown: Scout fractures her arm from 2020-06-26T14:01

What happens when, as a high risk family, you've been shielding for months and your daughter needs to go to A&E?

That’s the dilemma faced by Kate when three-year-old Scout falls over i...

‘Imagine that, disabled and black!’ from 2020-06-19T08:42

Namel and Rick, aka American rap-duo 4 Wheel City, were shot and paralysed as teenagers 20 years ago. Since then, their Hip Hop tracks about gun violence and disability discrimination have taken...

A blood test out of the car window from 2020-06-05T16:56

Finally, a day out is on the cards as one of the family has to have a blood test.

Kate, Holly and their three-year-old daughter Scout have been isolating for 12 weeks because Holly has to ...

Meet the 'Vulnerables': Jamie Hale from 2020-05-29T16:35

Jamie Hale is a trans and disabled performer who uses ‘they’ and ‘them’ pronouns. They have been on stage at the Barbican, worked with Netflix and are currently writing a play about lockdown. ...

'Naughty Robot!' from 2020-05-22T14:52

Ten weeks into isolation and Kate's painful impairment, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, is exhausting her. A virtual food lesson from her Mum on how to make toad-in-the-hole doesn't quite go to plan ...

‘When the pandemic started, my panic attacks stopped’ from 2020-05-21T15:07

Ouch favourites Mark Brown and Seaneen Molloy have dealt with mental health difficulties for a long time, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit, things changed.

Seaneen felt liberated. Af...

Meet the 'Vulnerables': Baroness Jane Campbell from 2020-05-15T16:50

In a new mini-series, Meet The ‘Vulnerables’, Octavia Woodward sets out to find the real people dubbed “vulnerable”during the coronavirus pandemic, and turn the V-word on its head. First up is...

'I can't believe we're arguing about this!' from 2020-05-07T15:47

After eight long weeks of isolation with wife Holly and three-year-old daughter Scout, Kate is finding her patience being tested. She has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and is gaining a little bit of...

When Cabin Fever met 1800 Seconds on Autism from 2020-05-06T17:57

Robyn Steward and Jamie Knight, presenters of the podcast 1800 Seconds on Autism, join the Cabin Fever team to reveal what’s been going on in their lives during lockdown.

From the pasta d...

'We should all be allowed to say "this is really hard"' from 2020-05-01T15:05

Kate's Elhers-Danlos syndrome is causing her great pain this week, to the point she can't sleep or dress herself. Seven weeks in and she's finding her joints and mental health are suffering f...

‘I returned to nursing the day the pandemic was declared’ from 2020-04-29T18:41

Hannah McDonald was sectioned before starting a nursing shift in 2008, with her uniform in her bag.

Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, she believes she suppressed the grief sh...

'I feel a lot of pressure to keep Holly alive' from 2020-04-24T15:28

Kate has spent over six weeks in isolation and is trying to manage the symptoms of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and raise three-year-old daughter Scout. Her wife Holly is on immunosuppressants and ...

'I hope they'll make masks with cut-outs for lips' from 2020-04-23T17:55

Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Swinbourne has plenty to keep him busy during lockdown as he develops storylines for deaf characters with EastEnders and Casualty.

He reveals what it's l...

"It would be tempting fate to pack a hospital bag" from 2020-04-17T16:33

Five weeks into isolation, Kate and Holly embark on something more daunting than tracking down a supermarket delivery slot - their first amateur home haircut. Kate's discomfort from Ehlers-Da...

'Me and the guide dog went into lockdown so I adopted a cat' from 2020-04-16T15:53

Coronavirus is making itself known globally, so Cabin Fever thought it too would hot-foot it around the world to see how disabled people are managing.

Lee Kumatat left the UK on 2 January ...

'We're all a bit wonky' from 2020-04-09T17:17

Week four in isolation is proving frustrating for Kate and her family - Kate has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome whilst wife Holly is on immunosuppressants, and so is classed as high risk. Kate is dis...

Styling out coronavirus with diabetes and tie-dye from 2020-04-08T15:55

Beth and Ellen had been enjoying their moment in the spotlight as the Diabetic Duo when coronavirus came along.

The type 1 diabetics had become known for their videos on the social media p...

'Decontaminating our cans of beans one by one' from 2020-04-03T12:37

As a recipient of a kidney transplant, Kate's wife Holly falls within the high risk category, so together they are spending their third week in strict isolation. Kate, who has mobility difficu...

"We're temporarily cancelling your career" from 2020-04-01T19:04

At the start of this year, 2020, barely three months ago, we all said it was going to be the year we'd all nail it. New job, getting married, holiday-of-a-lifetime, kicking any low confidence in...

'Suddenly you get this text...' from 2020-03-27T19:47

Kate and Holly digest the latest instructions on how to keep safe against coronavirus - for them it means staying in isolation for longer than 12 weeks.

Awkward conversations happen at ba...

Coronavirus has its red letter day from 2020-03-25T18:53

In the second episode of Cabin Fever. As 1.5m people wait to receive letters classing them as High Risk in the fight against coronavirus we find out if Octavia made it safely to Somerset after h...

Kate and Holly’s isolation diary from 2020-03-21T11:57

‘It is scary, it is lonely, it is hard.’

Join Kate Monaghan as she navigates the emotional and practical struggles of home isolation in Yorkshire, during the coronavirus pandemic.

...

Welcome to The Cabin Fever Podcast from 2020-03-18T19:05

Welcome to this new pop-up podcast to see you through the days of Covid-19. Let's get started.

We've all heard the information that coronavirus can be easily managed unless "you are vulne...

Disabled and out of money in North Korea from 2020-03-13T11:32

Londoner Jite Ugono never expected to find himself playing blackjack in a North Korean casino having run out of cash, but a few life-changing moments had led him there.

In his 30s he was d...

‘We accidentally posted a video about diabetes, and it went viral’ from 2020-03-05T13:34

When Ellen and Beth posted a TikTok video before they went out for the night, little did they know it would go viral by morning.

The students from Northern Ireland happened to leave the bl...

The new boy on Sex Education and the magician with OCD from 2020-02-13T15:22

Actor George Robinson reveals what it's like to play Isaac, the first disabled character in Netflix's Sex Education.

George became tetraplegic just a few years ago when he broke his neck i...

Liz Carr: Silent Witness star reveals film role from 2020-02-05T22:00

Liz Carr has just left BBC drama Silent Witness on a high, after eight years playing forensic examiner Clarissa Mullery - So what's next for the disabled actor and activist?

Hollywood is ...

How not to tell someone they have Parkinson's from 2020-01-23T15:39

Sky Sports presenter Dave Clark says he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the most "horrible" way. The journalist, now synonymous with darts, says his doctor had a "God-like complex" and...

Tom, The Greatest Dancer and cystic fibrosis from 2020-01-17T11:25

Tom Oakley's dreams came true when he got through to the second round of BBC One talent show The Greatest Dancer after judge Oti Mabuse, who also stars in Strictly Come Dancing, called him a "ph...

"I was expecting mediocrity ... you blew me away" from 2019-12-19T12:21

What happens when you take a forthright disabled American comedian and a sublime disabled folk singer and put them in a studio together? The answer is a lively session of Politics 101 – we prom...

Getting a fashion fix as a disabled model from 2019-12-12T13:32

Caitlin Leigh and Brinston Tchana were both young adults when they became disabled and started using wheelchairs. Caitlin loved experimenting with her hair before developing alopecia, at which p...

Adult women don't want 'Daddy's little princess' written on their T-shirts from 2019-11-22T14:52

Sinead Burke is all about fashion and equality and in September appeared on the front cover of British Vogue.

At three and a half feet tall, she is a fair few notches below average height...

'I have exploding head syndrome' from 2019-11-01T06:06

Migraines are so much more than a headache according to Rachel Creeger.

In a fascinating discussion with the comedian, we hear how her various identities impact on her – that’s being disa...

How brave and powerful are you? from 2019-10-24T10:45

Souleyman Bah was the first disabled contestant on BBC One's The Apprentice.

But just three weeks into the season he was fired by Lord Sugar and told he was “brave” for being there - how d...

The secret life of a teenager with MS from 2019-10-11T12:22

Bella Parkhouse is a typical teenager. She spends her time juggling college, a part-time job and seeing friends.

But she's also among the 10% of people who live with Multiple Sclerosis (M...

Why fat guide dogs can be taken away from 2019-10-02T12:49

When Damon's guide dog DeeBee visits the vet for a check-up there is some unexpected news.

He is weighed and found to be 5kg overweight - that's slightly more than your average cat.

...

Jellyballs (Storytelling live part 2) from 2019-09-20T09:46

Comedian Joe Wells talks about the one time in his life that making eye contact with another human being wasn't uncomfortable. Recently diagnosed as autistic, he also explains why he has to bloc...

This love story between two comedians with cerebral palsy will melt your heart from 2019-09-12T09:11

When we put three disabled comedians together round a picnic table we hadn’t banked on hearing one of the best disability love stories we’ve ever heard. We're a hard-bitten cynical bunch at O...

Dear Janine - Please can I borrow your nipples? from 2019-08-30T13:21

Life can be a bit different if you're disabled or have a mental health difficulty, but sometimes it is just be plain hilarious. Andy Duffy, Sajeela Kershi and Janine Hammond take to the stage...

Dear Mr Dead Head from 2019-08-23T18:27

Everyone in the theatre company Elektric Apple has a learning disability.

Using important themes from life, like mental health, sexuality and loneliness, they tell stories in their own wor...

The boffins who solve disability problems from 2019-07-26T11:13

If you are disabled and believe that a product to solve your problem doesn’t exist yet, listen up. A network of volunteer engineers are on-hand to help.

When Sarah Stones realised leaning...

Living while dying from 2019-06-28T13:30

Living your best life when death is closer than you'd like it to be - that's what we're talking about on this month's long podcast. It's a very upbeat show about tricky disability stuff. Doct...

Trust me, I’m a disabled doctor from 2019-06-06T23:01

An A&E consultant, a psychiatrist, and two junior doctors swap notes on being disabled in the medical profession.

Emergency medicine consultant, Dr Cieran McKiernan, speaks on the peri...

'We bought a pub for our 12-year-old son' from 2019-05-24T14:16

In a week where a tweet about a London pub went viral after a member of staff told a customer “we don’t serve disabled people”, meet the Mathies.

Ben Mathie loves live music but venue opt...

The rising stars of Eurovision who pulled out of the final from 2019-05-16T16:29

The Shalva Band were favourites to represent host country Israel at Eurovision but pulled out when the dress rehearsal was scheduled for Friday - the Jewish holy day of rest.

The group of...

The challenge of being a teacher with Tourette's from 2019-05-10T13:52

Natalie Pearson is a primary school teacher and one of a few in the world to also have Tourette's syndrome.

Tourettes causes her to swear, sometimes in class, and also jerk her body - but ...

'I realised not everyone has to be a Paralympian' from 2019-05-02T12:17

From being a working class disabled person to waiting for that brown envelope to arrive for your benefits reassessment. This show, recorded in front of a live audience, moves from one emotion to...

What’s the beef with McDonald’s paper straws? from 2019-04-26T15:48

Getting rid of single-use straws is a simple way to reduce plastic waste...unless you're one of the thousands of disabled people who rely on them everyday to drink independently.

From bam...

Sex, with these hips? from 2019-04-17T15:08

Have you ever been lost in a passionate moment only to realise your hips are about to dislocate?

Well, Xandra Lee has been in that precarious place more times than she'd like to remember ...

The artist who believes he’s a zombie from 2019-04-04T09:48

Martin O'Brien has lived beyond his life expectancy twice - first at the age of five, and then again at 30. He was born with the life-limiting disease, cystic fibrosis.

Now aged 31, he ide...

Deaf Poets Society (Repeat) from 2019-03-29T15:10

London poet Raymond Antrobus was thought to be dyslexic with severe learning disabilities, until his deafness was discovered at the age of six - this week he won the Ted Hughes Award for new wo...

This disabled comedian is a Jerk from 2019-03-15T15:58

After years on the circuit, American comedian Tim Renkow has just released his first TV series - Jerk.

The BBC Three show follows a "heightened" version of Renkow, who has cerebral palsy. ...

The gig emergency that made music accessible from 2019-03-12T16:25

Suzanne Bull loves live music. But after several accidents, including getting crushed at a gig, she wanted to challenge venues that weren’t accessible to her and other disabled music fans. Tak...

Disabled People Are Hot from 2019-02-25T14:43

We already knew it anyway, but the hashtag #DisabledPeopleAreHot has gone viral - about time too.

People from around the world have been rocking their best looks and posting them proudly o...

My daughter has my disability and that’s OK from 2019-02-15T13:00

"A kick in the gut" is how Actor Jack Binstead describes his initial response to news that daughter Daisy has osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones) like him. But now he thinks differently. Listen

Why the hashtag #ThingsDisabledPeopleKnow went viral from 2019-01-25T15:36

The hashtag #ThingsDisabledPeopleKnow has gone viral in the last few days.

Started in America by Imani Barbarin a week ago, it's got tweeters from all corners of the disability community a...

'I will drop you in awkwardness' from 2019-01-18T13:03

As Annalisa D’Innella’s sight deteriorates, people become more awkward around her. Why is this and what can she do about it? UK teen Tilly Griffiths had some awkward conversations when arranging...

‘I slid down the banisters and fell on my head’ from 2019-01-11T11:55

Thriller writer Liz Nugent deals in dark worlds with flawed characters, but she has experienced her fair share of challenges and tough times too.

After falling from the stair banister aged...

Christmas repeat: The date saboteur and the make-up store terror from 2019-01-04T05:00

Happy New Year from the BBC Ouch team! As a little treat, we thought we’d give you another chance to listen to some of our fabulous performers on BBC Ouch: Storytelling Live at the Edinburgh Fes...

Christmas repeat: Passionately kissing your ‘mum’ to prove a point from 2018-12-28T05:00

Merry Christmas from the BBC Ouch team! As a little gift to you from us, we thought we’d give you another chance to listen to some of our fabulous performers on BBC Ouch: Storytelling Live at th...

The dilemmas of Quizmas from 2018-12-21T14:36

It’s Christmas Eve and you’ve missed your flight – technically it’s your fault – but would you play the ‘disability card’ to try and get another for free? And what would you do at the work Chris...

'I pushed Kelly Fletcher off the stool' from 2018-12-17T17:13

From the young blind YouTuber whose make-up channel led her to being the poster girl for Cover Girl to the man who found out he has MS at the same time as having his first child.

Why our ...

Stories about pooing in a bag from 2018-12-05T16:54

Eye-opening stories from three people who "wear a bag" instead of being able to use the toilet naturally.

Thousands of people have them in the UK and, permanent or temporary, it is as a r...

'Disabled people make the best entrepreneurs' from 2018-11-23T15:30

Why does self-employment often suit disabled people better than the nine to five?

Three winners of this year’s Stelios Award describe their businesses, explain why they like working for th...

“We made conversation while my daughter licked the pavement” from 2018-11-15T11:37

There She Goes, a BBC Four comedy series about raising a learning-disabled child, has just ended. In this week’s Ouch podcast, the man who wrote it, Shaun Pye, meets journalist William Kremer, w...

Bake Off Briony’s kitchen hacks and Kitch the rapper from 2018-11-09T11:44

The Great British Bake Off contestant Briony Williams has a missing left hand but some viewers didn’t spot it until episode three. How did she get by in that famous tent without any help or disa...

What happens when the beat drops? from 2018-11-02T18:16

Beatboxing has long been associated with the hip hop world. But creating beats is not only a form of self-expression; it could help to unlock the full potential behind the human voice, especiall...

‘Be my friend because we’re both disabled mums’ from 2018-10-29T16:26

Returning to work after maternity leave can be a daunting experience - especially if you have a disability. So, with Emma Tracey back at Ouch HQ, what better time to discuss how she is getting o...

'Alex Jones will kill me if I tell you...' from 2018-10-26T14:34

It's been a week of triumph and celebration at the Invictus Games in Australia as 500 servicemen and women competed on the sports field.

But for one competitor the memories of the battlefi...

‘How a plan to reveal my new boyfriend ended with a fractured spine’ from 2018-10-19T15:30

Bethany Hickton was about to reveal her new boyfriend to a friend, when she slipped down a marble staircase and fractured her spine. She had just started her PhD in Bristol and had a busy socia...

'You can't go there, you're disabled' from 2018-10-05T13:55

The comedian Tanyalee Davis, who recently gained attention on social media after an incident involving her mobility scooter and an unhappy train guard, believes that the rules and attitudes in t...

Making sign language more beautiful from 2018-09-21T11:14

Just like the spoken word, you can make sign language more meaningful by altering your moves to create something more touching or, the opposite, distressing.

On this podcast we speak to P...

"Echoes put me off": How blind people choose a new home from 2018-09-14T13:52

Lee Kumutat is blind and moving home. So, if she can't choose what decor she likes, or the look of the building, what choices does she make and why?

From colour to audio ambience, and whe...

The date saboteur and the make-up store terror from 2018-09-07T15:24

Going out is meant to be fun, but add in an unpredictable disability or mental health problem and you could have an unwanted challenge or serious embarrassment on your hands - especially if these r...

Passionately kissing your 'mum' to prove a point from 2018-08-31T14:38

Going out can be fun, but add in a disability or mental health problem and it can become fraught with challenges - and embarrassment - if these real-life tales are anything to go by. From passio...

My son jammed his leg in a wheelchair from 2018-08-22T16:50

Being a parent is hard, but when you're disabled it can come with its own unique set of challenges and advantages. From the mum who insisted on building an accessible house extension so her husb...

OCD: It's not just about washing your hands from 2018-08-17T13:07

When we got three women with obsessive-compulsive disorder round a table, the conversation ranged from the need to tic or twitch, and what that feels like, through to getting naked at the front doo...

How not to teach your girlfriend about being deaf (Repeat) from 2018-08-03T13:33

Gianluca Trombetta, who is deaf, confesses he hated it when his girlfriend talked before he was ready to listen, so he decided to teach her a lesson. This story was recorded in March 2017 at an ...

The bike crash which made me forget English from 2018-07-27T14:03

Hannah Jenkins was cycling in her local park when she collided with another cyclist and fell-off her bike. She sustained a serious head injury and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition....

If the shoe fits... from 2018-07-17T10:00

Shoes - it’s a hot topic amongst disabled people. Buying them and wearing them can be a nightmare, especially if it means regularly wearing them out. Throughout the ages, shoes have been either...

Archbishop on daughters, disability and mental health from 2018-07-06T11:23

The Archbishop of Canterbury and two of his daughters talk frankly about their experiences of disability and mental health and how the church can be more inclusive. In her first interview, Ellie...

'Do we drown or rocket to the surface?' from 2018-06-29T16:46

Rich Osborn had the perfect summer job as a scuba diving instructor in Cyprus - but it would become a job which led to him becoming paraplegic. On a day off, the then 21-year-old and three instruc...

'My Doctor refused to treat me if I went for gold' from 2018-06-22T11:30

Ali Jawad was told the night before an operation that he should prepare his friends and family for the worst - he might not wake up again. The powerlifter, a double above-knee amputee, had falle...

The disabled comedian who turned down Britain's Got Talent from 2018-06-15T14:30

After Lost Voice Guy won Britain’s Got Talent, Rosie Jones, another comedian with cerebral palsy, tells this week’s Ouch podcast how she was approached to take part in the show – and said ‘no’. Al...

Tell your story at Edinburgh Fringe from 2018-06-01T13:46

Everyone has a story to tell and this could be your chance to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on the BBC’s main stage. BBC Ouch is presenting Storytelling Live on 9 August and wants yo...

How do you learn trapeze if you’re blind? from 2018-05-25T09:25

Amelia Cavallo has mastered the art of aerial performance on silks and the trapeze at great heights above the floor.As someone who is registered blind, how does she know how high up she is and wher...

Bibliotherapy: A novel take on mental health from 2018-05-18T14:36

Reading is often one of the first things to go when you're busy - your bag's already full and you've got your phone to play with - but could picking up a book be one simple way to help boost or mai...

Turning to snow to meet my mother from 2018-05-11T11:28

Tatyana McFadden was born in Russia with spina bifida - a deformity of the spine - and placed in a Russian orphanage. Aged six she was adopted by an American and became one of Team USA's most s...

Life in the dark shadow of Mini-Me from 2018-05-04T13:02

Verne Troyer played Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films. Following his recent death, fellow short person Eugene Grant says the character normalised violent attacks against others with dwarfism. P...

From Russian orphan to Team USA from 2018-04-27T08:46

Tatyana McFadden was born in Russia with spina bifida - a deformity of the spine - and placed in Orphanage Three, Saint Petersburg. But at the age of six, a chance meeting with an American digni...

Hellblade: Psychosis story ‘mirrored mine’ from 2018-04-20T14:43

The game Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice has won many awards and fans for its story and the way it depicts psychosis. It follows Nordic warrior, Senua, on a quest to rescue the soul of her dead lov...

Electronic voices: How Hawking let me talk too from 2018-04-06T15:15

Comedian Lost Voice Guy tells Ouch that the late Stephen Hawking made it more acceptable for people like him, who speak using a voice synth. Also, should the professor's voice be used again by ...

Ouch takeover: Inspirational speakers from 2018-03-23T11:18

Inspirational speaking and work has long been a part of the disability landscape. But how do you inspire without sounding like a cliché? It’s a confidence boosting takeover on this week’s BBC Ouch...

Off-piste at the Paras #9: Ghost town from 2018-03-19T11:21

Two 19 year old women brought home all seven medals for Great Britain from the Winter Paralympics. On the last day, Menna Fitzpatrick and her guide Jennifer Kehoe won a gold medal in the visual...

Off-piste at the paras #8: Scott Meenagh: Losing my legs in Afghanistan was "a bad day at work" from 2018-03-16T15:26

Could you cover 60km on difficult terrain using just your arms? British Nordic Sit-Skier Scott Meenagh has attempted that this week in the Biathlon and Cross-Country events.He’s the first compet...

Off-piste at the paras #7: Ice-hockey from 2018-03-15T15:02

It’s the biggest crowd draw – the ice-hockey – and the locals came out in force to watch South Korea take on Canada. It was a match full of Mexican waves, K-pop and attempts to break the venue’s...

Back to school from 2018-03-15T00:01

We’re going for a younger sound in this week’s podcast. As part of BBC School Report day 2018, three disabled schoolchildren give us their take on life in the classroom and playground, and much mo...

Off-piste at the Paras #6: The fixers from 2018-03-13T16:23

More limbs are broken at the Paralympics than any other sporting event - prosthetic limbs to be precise.But the athletes need not fear, Ottobock provides a 24-hour emergency pit stop for repairs.Th...

Off-piste at the Paras #5: Snowboard Monday from 2018-03-12T16:28

From DJs to cheerleaders and a Gangnam Style dance off, the Paralympic snowboard cross competition was the place to be in PyeongChang. Three members of ParalympicsGB were competing - Ben Moore, ...

Off-piste at the Paras #4: Snowboarder Ben Moore from 2018-03-11T00:01

Not often, I imagine. But for Plymouth snowboarder Ben Moore that’s exactly how he made it on to the first ever ParalympicsGB snowboarding team, after he missed the bus to work when he was living i...

Off-piste at the Paras #3: First day from 2018-03-10T15:21

From the stunning scenery to the unusual way the blind athletes measure their downhill performance, Beth Rose and Chris Osborne present this podcast - while attempting to use the ski lift.The GB te...

Off-piste at the Paras #2: Opening ceremony from 2018-03-09T18:59

It was a freezing night in the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics - but we’re here to warm you up with the latest from the Games. We chat K-pop, skateboarding bea...

Off-piste at the Paras #1: We're here! from 2018-03-08T18:59

GB snowboarder Owen Pick talks to Beth Rose on the first edition of our podcast from the Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang. Back indoors, Beth and the BBC team chat about being in South Korea, ...

“It’s like PMS but a hundred times worse…..” from 2018-03-08T16:10

Many women of childbearing age suffer from Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Cramps, mood swings and anxiety are among the many symptoms that come around every month. They tend to start a few days bef...

Grange Hill, Voodoo and chronic pain from 2018-03-02T12:54

How do you deal with chronic pain? Do you search for an answer or try to manage it long term? Former star of Grange Hill and lead singer of the 1980's band Monsoon, Sheila Chandra, lives with b...

Cooking up the Winter Paralympics from 2018-02-23T15:57

With just days to go before the Winter Paralympics get under way in South Korea there’s plenty to say about the Great Britain team. From medal hopes to new sports, the Russian doping scandal and...

How I met my disabled partner from 2018-02-16T14:18

It's a source of anxiety for many disabled people that they will be forever overlooked in the love stakes, or that it might be too hard for some people to keep a relationship going with them. On...

The guide dog with the dashcam strikes again from 2018-02-09T15:47

This week Amit Patel, owner of Kika the guide dog, has been in the news again. Last year BBC Ouch made a video about how he straps a video camera to her harness in order to record the looks, st...

Love me, love my wheels? from 2018-02-02T12:47

St Valentine's Day is almost here. It's a time for chocolates, champagne and swiping right. But disabled people often have some extra uncertainties to factor in. When is the right time to tel...

I changed my life by moving online from 2018-01-24T15:53

Youtuber Stef Sanjati talks about her Waardenburg syndrome and being transgender.

Do you get caught in the Faff Zone? from 2018-01-18T16:30

Do you procrastinate to the point that you get very little done? And how do you break free? Presenters Mark Brown and Seaneen Molloy-Vaughan call it the Faff Zone and say it hijacks your mind.It...

Is it harder for disabled people to lose weight? from 2018-01-12T15:57

Ever been told “you can’t do that” in the gym because you’re disabled? Wheelchair-using gym instructor Kris Saunders-Stowe gives us the lowdown on everything you can do, including "wheelchair spinn...

A game of Disability Dilemmas from 2017-12-20T16:41

In a festive first we pit BBC Washington Correspondent Gary O’Donoghue against Watchdog’s Nikki Fox and BBC Ouch’s Simon Minty in a ferocious battle over disability dilemmas. Would they disturb...

Have you heard the one about....? from 2017-12-15T11:18

Chris McCausland is a stand-up comedian from Liverpool and about to take on Live at the Apollo. Some of you might know him from his acting stint on the BBC1 drama series “Moving On” or from the ...

The Curious Case of Miss Fanny Fust from 2017-12-08T13:11

Fanny Fust was a young learning disabled woman who was kidnapped and forced to marry a man who was after her fortune in 18th Century Bristol. Her tale has been rewritten by an organisation calle...

'Nothing feels real a third of the time' from 2017-12-01T15:06

Chris Young describes himself as a cuddly and warm person but says that when dissociating due to borderline personality disorder nothing feels real, the world goes “seriously fuzzy” and touching hi...

Let's replace disability with letters like LGBT (repeat) from 2017-11-23T17:01

It seems that using the acronym LGBT has allowed people to talk more openly about gay community issues more easily. So, if the disabled community replaced the D-word with some letters, what wou...

The Robyn, Jamie and Lion Show: Obsession from 2017-11-17T12:13

Robyn knows a lot about trumpet playing and Jamie watches hours of milling machine videos each night to wind down. They’re both autistic and love talking at length about what they call their “speci...

ME - The movie from 2017-11-08T16:56

Jennifer Brea has ME, known to many as chronic fatigue syndrome, and is director of the multi-award winning documentary film Unrest. In it, she documents her personal journey by video on a smar...

'I knew that going deaf would kill me' from 2017-11-03T15:20

How does America’s Got Talent star Mandy Harvey hit the correct notes and tour successfully with a live band when she can’t hear? Why did a conversation in the radio studio change bipolar comed...

Who is Jared O'Mara? from 2017-10-25T11:02

The Labour Party has suspended MP Jared O'Mara after he posted misogynistic and homophobic comments online, but who is he? BBC Ouch's Damon Rose met the MP earlier this year after O’Mara unexpec...

Do blind people care about colour? from 2017-10-18T23:00

Ambulances were white when Damon lost his sight over 30 years ago and Lucy’s mental image of her sister, Alice, hasn’t changed since she went blind in 2013. Having been born blind, Emma has no ...

'I'm wearing a tight T-shirt so I know where I end' from 2017-10-12T23:01

Is Robyn the only autistic person who doesn’t love fidget-spinners? And what's this about Jamie's T-shirt? We gave two autistic people free rein in a studio with a tin full of questions only “ne...

Can 'sex robots' help disabled people? from 2017-10-06T15:29

They're talked about a lot at the moment, but can "sex robots" help disabled people? Also, the disabled teen punk who left home to find an independent life for herself in the less-accessible 80...

Why I shouldn't meet others with cystic fibrosis from 2017-09-29T14:38

Vlogger Charles Michael Duke, 22, posts comedy songs and videos about life with cystic fibrosis on YouTube. People with CF shouldn’t meet face to face due to fear of cross-contamination. So the...

Gay and disabled from 2017-09-22T13:51

Being part of the male gay scene can be tricky when you “wobble and spasm like I do” says Robert Softley Gale. The actor with cerebral palsy says there is also a lack of accessibility in "queer"...

Behind bars with a mental illness from 2017-09-15T16:18

Ria found herself in prison after she set light to her home when she was in it. She had been suffering from psychosis brought on by distress at the death of a friend. While on remand, she worked...

Love, sex and cotton buds (replay) from 2017-09-08T05:00

Warning: this programme contains discussion of a sexual nature. Disabled writer and performer Penny Pepper join the team this week. (see Related Links for a transcript)This is a replay of a fas...

The woman who experiences pain as red and rectangular from 2017-09-01T13:20

The playwright who experiences pain as sounds and pictures, Tourettes Hero Jess Thom on performing Beckett’s play Not I, the comedian with cerebral palsy whose slow speech is part of her act and th...

Drunk people ask the most awkward questions from 2017-08-25T13:49

Lost Voice Guy uses an iPad to speak and has become an expert handler of awkward questions as a result. “Can you really not talk?” and “have you ever tried to speak to see what would happen?” ar...

Storytelling Live: Tales of the Misunderstood from 2017-08-18T12:17

Awkward! This week’s podcast, the first of two recorded live in Scotland, is all about a badly timed dislocation, a wheelchair user who stunned a nun by walking and the depressed man who got too go...

Rationing energy - and other chronic illness life hacks from 2017-08-11T12:25

No doctors, no charities, no family members - just a frank conversation between two women with chronic illness, about navigating life when energy is at a premium. Faced with a box of random que...

Gin, sushi and disability from 2017-08-04T15:36

With stories of running away to Skegness aged 14 and the culture-clash of going from a council estate to Cambridge University, it’s fair to say Allan Hennessy stole the show this month. He’s th...

“I saw you on stage, you’re definitely bipolar” from 2017-07-28T12:13

Comedian John Scott was labelled schizophrenic for five years before he ended up in crisis in hospital and face-to-face with the psychologists who had gone to his show. During their night out th...

What happens to my disabled son when I die? from 2017-07-21T17:00

Mark Neary’s recurring nightmare is that six months after his own death, son Steven who has autism and learning disabilities will end up in a residential unit similar to the one where he was detain...

Dr Hannah: 'I often get to emergencies first because of my speedy wheelchair' from 2017-07-14T17:31

Dr Hannah Barham-Brown made the news recently after revealing she couldn't afford the fairly modest £2,000 wheelchair she wanted but managed to raise the money through online crowdfunding in just 2...

Growing up with disabled parents from 2017-07-07T14:29

Meet heavyweight boxer Joe Joyce who was born almost 30 years ago to his mum Marvel Opara, then a teenager with a visual impairment. The mother and son combo from London have done many challenges t...

The only MP who wears a t-shirt in parliament from 2017-06-30T14:52

Meet Jared O'Mara. He's the MP who knocked former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg off his Sheffield Hallam seat in the recent General Election. It was one of the most talked about scalpings fr...

Alternatives to the job interview from 2017-06-23T16:37

Fewer than 6% of people with a learning disability have a job. Government figures show that disability employment rates are going up but Mencap says that employment in this group is going down. ...

Why one deaf man didn't vote until his 40s from 2017-06-19T06:00

The podcast this week dives into some of the stats and happenings around disability at the 2017 general election with two interesting guests. [For a transcript, scroll down to the Related Links...

When going blind is funny from 2017-06-09T12:20

Tom Skelton adds his bizarre sense of humour to the Ouch podcast and talks about his forthcoming Edinburgh Fringe show Blind Man's Bluff. (Scroll down to the Related Links section to find a tra...

To Switzerland or not from 2017-06-02T16:07

This podcast contains discussions about suicide. If you are struggling at the moment, you may choose to leave this episode for another day. Why are so many students dropping out of university d...

Deaf Poets Society from 2017-05-26T14:52

London poet Raymond Antrobus was thought to be dyslexic with severe learning disabilities, until his deafness was discovered at the age of six. (for a transcript, scroll down this page and find it ...

‘Is that all you’re having?’ from 2017-05-19T14:13

Why office treats and commenting on people’s lunch choices can be unhelpful (Scroll down to the Related links section to find a transcript of this podcast)Eleanor Bowes struggled with bulimia at...

'My brain injury turned me into a teenager' from 2017-05-12T15:47

Dave Mercer had been married for three years when he had encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, which changed his personality and relationship forever. He says the illness turned him into ...

Are people with learning difficulties allowed to vote? from 2017-05-05T15:26

The snap general election is on the horizon so it would be remiss of a disability podcast if we didn't look at the accessibility of voting. It may be 2017, many might assume we've solved these issu...

Richard III: "A disabled guy gets cast as the disabled guy" from 2017-04-28T15:09

Actor Mat Fraser speaks with Ouch's Emma Tracey about his role in Richard III at the Hull Truck theatre starting in May. (A transcript can be found in the related links section of this page) Th...

Let's talk about mental health ... but then what? from 2017-04-21T15:41

In a bit of a first for us, interlopers Seaneen Molloy-Vaughan and Mark Brown takeover the Ouch podcast to discuss a matter they fully know the ins and outs of - mental health. And they bring a fas...

The love triangle which ended in a police cell from 2017-04-18T09:00

This is the final in a series of seven entertaining and enlightening stories from people who are disabled or have mental health difficulties on the subject of love and relationships. In this edi...

How not to teach your girlfriend about being deaf from 2017-04-14T09:00

This is the sixth in a series of seven entertaining and enlightening stories from people who are disabled or have mental health difficulties on the subject of love and relationships. In this edi...

My brother taught me how to laugh from 2017-04-11T09:00

This is the fourth in a series of seven entertaining and enlightening stories from people who are disabled or have mental health difficulties on the subject of love and relationships. In this ed...

Behind the scenes from 2017-04-06T14:46

This month's talk-show is all about the stage as playwright Nicola Werenowska reveals her new play is based on her late diagnosis of dyspraxia. Director Stephen Unwin talks about how his disable...

From mental health meltdown to finding love from 2017-04-04T15:09

This is the third in a series of seven entertaining and enlightening stories from people who are disabled or have mental health difficulties on the subject of love and relationships. In this editi...

The man taught to have sex by lesbians from 2017-03-31T10:52

Men rarely talk about male sexual function when it goes wrong, if you know what I mean. So when Mik Scarlet became impotent after his spine collapsed he fell into depression, didn't talk about it, ...

‘My date was derailed by dyspraxia’ from 2017-03-28T10:30

This is the second in a series of seven entertaining and enlightening stories from people who are disabled or have mental health difficulties, all of which are on the subject of love and relationsh...

I have a long-lasting relationship … with my psychologist from 2017-03-24T11:12

Sofie Hagen presents our short series of entertaining and enlightening stories from people who are disabled or have mental health difficulties. This is one of seven podcasts which will go out over ...

Sign language on the radio from 2017-03-17T16:13

Can deaf people and blind people be friends? Which bits of spoken office gossip do our non-hearing colleagues pick up? And what does "alp" mean? (scroll down to the Related Links section for a tran...

‘I had six children to get pregnancy right’ from 2017-03-10T17:20

Lana Grant has six children and is autistic. She wrote a book about pregnancy and birth and runs the popular Facebook group, Mums on the Spectrum. From making a baby through to the birthing pro...

I wash my clothes in fizzy pop from 2017-03-03T17:45

Meet the mum with ADHD whose video rant went viral, the woman who washes her clothes in cola to help her skin condition, and the chronic illness blogger who has turned her back on clean eating. ...

Making It Work from 2017-02-24T13:50

Three disabled entrepreneurs share their wisdom and practical tips for building a business. Liz Jackson is blind. She got support from the government’s Access to Work scheme when running a compa...

Retail Therapy from 2017-02-10T16:53

It's time for the weekly shop. Disabled mum Lizzy Gwilliam and the Ouch team have news of some recent developments which might make shopping that little bit easier.One of the newest hacks includ...

Not so Undercover Boss from 2017-02-03T13:57

NHS mental health director Mandy Stevens joins us on our monthly talk show to discuss being hospitalised for depression herself. She recently posted about it on social media and the unusual "back t...

The Kika Effect from 2017-01-27T14:48

How footage taken by guide dog Kika’s wearable camera went viral and the positive change it’s had on her owner Amit’s interactions with the public. With Amit Patel, Daniel Gordon, Kathleen Haw...

Who is Doug Paulley? from 2017-01-20T16:25

The wheelchair v buggy case winner on life in a care home and fighting discrimination. Here’s an interview we did with Doug Paulley in 2014 for the Ouch talk show. In it, he describes an ”averag...

Blind man's fog from 2017-01-13T16:31

It has been snowing widely in the UK in recent days. But other than it being colder and slippier, what other ways does it affect people who can't see? On this edition of Inside Ouch, Emma Trace...

"I can't say Kanye West" from 2017-01-06T16:45

Katie Cooke is a distance runner who has epilepsy. She runs, she blacks out, then she gets up and continues. Find out why she puts herself through this strain on Ouch's hour-long talk show whe...

Punk therapy from 2016-12-21T11:13

Punk band, Electric Umbrella, join us in the studio to talk about their new single Christmas As A Punk. The musicians, from the organisation of the same name, have learning disabilities and coll...

Living on the edge from 2016-12-14T00:01

On this hour-long show, we meet disabled people living in the Canadian Arctic and the Australian outback. Does cold, ice, snow, heat and remote living mean that these places are too inaccessibl...

'So boring!' from 2016-12-09T14:16

Five-time Paralympic medallist Hannah Cockroft confesses her winter training is "so boring!" following the vibrant Paralympic Games in Rio earlier this year. The 24-year-old wheelchair racer al...

Happy 'disability day' everybody! from 2016-12-02T16:19

Silent Witness actor Liz Carr has crowd-funded what she calls a "ramshackle cabaret" to celebrate this year's UN International Day of People With Disabilities (IDPWD). She did it because, along wit...

The power of suggestion from 2016-11-25T15:01

Hypnosis has helped Stuart Thompson manage the chronic pain he experiences due to osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bones). A professional hypnotist, Stuart now treats people with similar conditions...

Blind mums and counting steps - repeat from 2016-11-18T11:05

What's it like bringing a new child into the world when you can't see? Ouch's Emma Tracey had a baby last year and has been learning how to do it ... and how things are a bit different for blind mu...

Disabled hip-hop fight from 2016-11-14T12:04

It's a disabled hip-hop fight. Listen to what happened when we got a young disabled rapper into our London studio and linked him up with another disabled rapper in New York and let them freestyle. ...

Sisters together forever from 2016-11-04T12:33

We're talking about siblings, "crip hacks" and trigger warnings on this month's hour-long talk show. (to find a transcript of this podcast, scroll down to the Related Links section on this page) ...

Seizures and shopping from 2016-10-28T12:50

Journalist Helen Purves reveals how she always finds herself mid-shopping spree when she comes around from a non-convulsive epileptic fit. The neurological disorder means she is able to continue...

Read all about it from 2016-10-21T15:47

This week, it's a quiz. Beth gets the rest of the team to guess the missing words from recent disability headlines. (scroll down to find a transcript of this programme in the Related Links section ...

Coming Out from 2016-10-14T15:29

Why are celebrities now choosing to talk openly about their mental health? Is it because social media gives us more access to all aspects of their day-to-day lives? Or is stigma decreasing? (a ...

Pigs and the asylum from 2016-10-07T05:00

On this month's talk show from Ouch: Tilley Milburn had a late diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome which meant she received assistance later than was helpful, and found herself living in a care home. ...

Facebook salad from 2016-09-30T15:59

Meet Matt King. He’s an engineer who works at Facebook HQ in California. He’s one of the people on a team who works towards making the big social network accessible. King explains the recent A...

How do blind people interpret emoji's? - Repeat from 2016-09-23T17:10

The internet is becoming increasingly visual. How do blind people experience emoji's and is digital communication becoming more inaccessible? This episode was originally podcast in October 2015.

Concealing Disability from 2016-09-16T10:58

New research by charity Scope says 38 percent of us do it, but why? Emily Shanahan hid her Asperger’s and dyspraxia because she was being bullied at school. The London 2012 Paralympics helped h...

I Need to Sit Down from 2016-09-09T14:10

Transport for London are trialing a badge which asks travellers to give their seats to passengers with invisible mobility impairments. Alan Benson from campaign organisation Transport For All gives...

Jack Carroll: 'I'm not properly disabled' from 2016-09-02T13:37

The 17-year-old comedian with cerebral palsy talks to Emma about politics, osteopathy and his time on Britain's Got Talent.

The One-Legged Man Show from 2016-08-25T14:08

Nils Bergstrand lost his leg when he was shot in a pub in Thailand ten years ago. From his experiences he says he has "made the show he would have wanted to see" when he first became an amputee. It...

"You couldn't make it up" from 2016-08-19T12:35

Two comedians at this years Edinburgh Fringe have shows about being blind. Jamie MacDonald is gradually going blind whereas Georgie Morrell lost her sight for a year before regaining it. (scrol...

Are puppets disabled? from 2016-08-12T14:33

What do puppets and disabled people have in common? Quite a lot as it happens. In a play about a two-foot-tall cloth puppet Fred, threatened cuts to his Puppetry Living Allowance mean he loses one ...

Skydiving for benefits - archive from 2016-08-05T14:01

Mat Fraser and Kiruna Stamell cheekily read through a benefits application form. And Kiruna talks about a tandem skydive she recently did. Funny and fast-paced archive from 2008. (scroll down to ...

Bedside Manner from 2016-07-29T15:09

What might help disabled people’s hospital stays go more smoothly? You'll find a transcript in the related links section. Stacy is blind and in kidney failure but has been handed leaflets detail...

Diabetic like the PM from 2016-07-22T14:57

Prime minister May has had type one diabetes since 2013 and, as such, a more complicated lifestyle in order to maintain her good health. A full transcript is available in the related links section....

Access all Pokemon from 2016-07-15T13:37

Some of the creatures in the new mobile online gaming phenomenon Pokemon Go are not accessible if you're mobility impaired. But on the flip side of accessibility, some say the game is great for you...

Driverless and sightless from 2016-07-08T14:44

Blind, visually impaired and other disabled people could benefit hugely from the new breed of automated cars that we hear such a lot about. But will this group of people be automatically permitted ...

Funny people from 2016-07-01T11:10

This programme contains discussions about mental health, halucinations and suicide. If you're not in the right mood to hear it, skip the episode and we'll be back next week with another show. D...

Yoga after paralysis from 2016-06-24T13:44

Tiffany Joiner describes her legs as “80 per cent paralysed” due to a balcony fall six years ago. It took a long time for the former yoga teacher to get "back on the mat" but now her Instagram phot...

Walking on stumps from 2016-06-17T14:09

Pictures of Oscar Pistorius were beamed around the globe this week as he attempted to show how vulnerable he could be in prison as a double below knee amputee. The convicted murderer was overcome ...

Love, sex and cotton buds from 2016-06-10T15:29

Warning: this programme contains discussion of a sexual nature. The team are joined by disabled writer and performer Penny Pepper. (see Related Links, below, for a transcript)This week she wrot...

"I love a bit of shock value" from 2016-06-03T13:42

Interview guests, music, and Ouch's famous Vegetable Vegetable or Vegetable parlour game returns on the hour-long show for June. (See 'Related links' for a transcript) One-handed concert pianist...

'Me before euthanasia' from 2016-05-26T15:31

Wheelchair user Mik Scarlet explains why the film of the Jojo Moyes book has caused a stir.

'My wheelchair makes me a human' from 2016-05-20T16:44

George Fielding has a cappuccino coloured chair which suits his 'young but old' image

Training to use a guide dog isn't always a walk in the park from 2016-05-13T14:39

They're amazing, but new owners need to put in the work and may get the occasional bump

'What's for dinner?' from 2016-05-06T17:47

On this month's Ouch Talk Show, we bring three disabled foodies together to thrash out some of the burning questions that arise when it comes to cooking when you're disabled. Which option is easier...

Access all areas from 2016-04-29T15:58

Fresh from taking part in Disabled Access Day the team discuss the pros and cons of accessible museums and venues - including the train enthusiast who didn't stop talking for six hours when taking ...

Hairy situations from 2016-04-22T13:32

The problems of styling your hair and beard when you’re blind or can’t reach your head.

Would you ditch your disability given the chance? from 2016-04-15T15:11

We try to imagine who we’d be, minus our disabilities.

Would you buy chocolate if its label warned you how much exercise you'd need to burn it off? from 2016-04-08T15:13

Would labels on sweets suggesting exercise targets work for disabled people?

10th anniversary show from 2016-04-01T13:19

Looking back on the first decade of Ouch's podcast, its comedy and its talk

Tales from the train from 2016-03-24T14:41

The team share personal stories about journeys on public transport

Vegetable, vegetable or vegetable? from 2016-03-18T15:31

Ten years after BBC Ouch! first began we delve into the archives to look back at our own version of the parlour game Animal, vegetable or mineral? Our irreverent version - Vegetable, vegetable o...

Sex and money from 2016-03-11T16:05

Why are so-called 'devotees' attracted to physical disability. And the author who believes capitalist economies generate discrimination against disabled people.

On this special day from 2016-03-07T10:12

The team discuss those big awareness days like International Wheelchair Day or Autism Day

Fiction containing disabled characters - do you embrace them, or 'read 'em and weep'? from 2016-02-26T16:15

We share our thoughts on fictional disabled characters who have caught our imagination.

Your disability anniversary from 2016-02-19T15:42

Do you mark the day you became disabled? The team discuss, with guests Sofia Crockatt and her dad Nick.

'Charging the battery': coping with a disability and a mental illness from 2016-02-12T12:57

Open and frank stories of coping with mental illness and a disability, and strategies.

... like an LGBT for disability from 2016-02-05T15:36

It appears that the acronym used by the gay, lesbian and trans community works quite well and arguably has been part and parcel of the progressive impact they've had in recent years. So, being as l...

Using chopsticks with your toes from 2016-01-29T13:13

From snacks to eating out in restaurants, Mat Fraser and Liz Carr discuss the perils of eating if you have an impairment which makes it problematic ... or should we say 'messy'. Also features Emma ...

A colouring book for blind people from 2016-01-22T16:16

Not an immediately obvious gift for someone who can't see but could it work?

Disabled mums and sign names from 2016-01-14T15:43

Why disabled mums decide to have children despite the extra risks. And why sign language users might sometimes appear a little politically incorrect.

The questions kids ask from 2016-01-08T14:08

What happens when your child starts to question or be embarrassed by your disability?

Would you live next door to a ‘handicapped’ person? from 2015-12-18T11:24

The Ouch team plays a game of 1980s dilemmas.

Stare at the bear in the chair from 2015-12-11T15:32

How London commuters reacted to a disabled toy

Ouch 'Christmas dinner' special from 2015-12-04T11:45

Kids, crackers and is it OK to be given a disability related prezzie?

"You walk funny" - repeat from 2015-11-27T15:34

Find out how the Ouch team get along. Also, do you mention you're disabled when trying to attract a potential partner on internet dating sites? This is a repeat presentation of a podcast which firs...

That white cane ban story from 2015-11-20T16:02

Lily-Grace Hooper, 7, was told by her school that she can't use her white cane

Tangles with trains from 2015-11-16T11:17

What's it like to step off a station platform into thin air, instead of on to a train? Three blind journalists tell their tales of travelling on trains when you can't see.

Choices and rights: The story of the Disability Discrimination Act from 2015-11-05T16:16

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the first disability anti-discrimination law in the UK. It's a time to look back at the disability rights movement in the early 90's, which...

Are disability related Halloween costumes offensive? from 2015-10-30T13:06

It’s Halloween and disability related costumes are doing the rounds. Is it offensive to dress up as a mental patient, Oscar Pistorius, or a blind stereotype?

How do blind people interpret emojis? from 2015-10-23T14:34

Apple has released 150 brand new emojis. The internet is becoming increasingly visual but how do blind people experience these graphics, and is digital communication becoming more inaccessible?

The disabled man who held a stranger's hand on a bus from 2015-10-16T14:55

This week a picture of a disabled man hugging a stranger on a bus went viral. The man sat with Robert, who is deaf and has cerebral palsy, for a half hour journey, holding his hand and comforting h...

Brothers, sisters and disability from 2015-10-09T15:45

Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty delve in to the complex, and sometimes difficult, area of relationships between disabled and non-disabled siblings. Their guests include a disabled member of a non-dis...

I was not meant to be able-bodied from 2015-10-02T16:24

A woman in America has chosen to go blind. We discuss.

John Lennon mocking disabled people causes a stir from 2015-09-25T14:36

Footage of John Lennon mocking people with learning disabilities has caused a stir online, was it offensive or just of its time?

"You don't look disabled" from 2015-09-17T13:38

MP for Elmet & Rothwell Alec Shelbrooke was said to have been "resting his eyes" during a debate in parliament this week. Shelbrooke is partially deaf and was resting his head near a speaker in ord...

Inside Ouch – What is ‘normal’? from 2015-09-11T12:34

On this week's edition of Inside Ouch we talk language and labels, including whether it is right to use the term ‘normal’ to describe non-disabled people. Also, where do you stand on the assisted d...

'Standing out' as a disabled foreigner in Japan from 2015-09-04T15:54

Travel, stigma, work and mental illness as a disabled person in Japan.

Blind mums and counting steps from 2015-08-28T16:58

Being a blind mum and the difficulties of getting fit if you're disabled.

Disabled models and security checks from 2015-08-21T14:07

Are disabled models still a novelty? And how airport security checks can get a bit personal for disabled people.

Inside Ouch: Special Olympics and the inspiration question from 2015-08-14T15:38

A look at the recent Special Olympics. Also, being inspired by other disabled people.

Summer loving with a disability from 2015-07-24T17:18

Inside Ouch gets very British as we discuss how the weather can affect a disability

Don't miss the thought bus from 2015-07-17T15:06

Mindfulness classes at school. Also, should disabled people have the right to die?

Tattoos and touching faces from 2015-07-10T12:54

Lots of people are getting semicolon tattoos, but why? Also, do blind people really touch other people’s faces to see what they “look” like? The team discuss.

Politics, prose and protest music from 2015-07-03T11:20

Wheelchair-using politician Anne Begg tells us what she plans to do now she has lost her seat in the House of Commons. Plus an author, a musician, and the autistic character in a computer game With...

Aesthetics and prosthetics from 2015-06-26T11:42

When it comes to disability is it best to look “different” or “normal”?

Flying guide dogs from 2015-06-19T15:19

Do you know your PRM from your DBK? Disability acronyms discussed. Also new research says disabled people who travelled on a plane in the last year feel confident about it, but the majority still d...

Losing a leg, and being mugged from 2015-06-12T14:23

Leah Washington had her leg amputated after an accident at Alton Towers, but what happens after surgery? Also Ouch journalist Lee Kumutat had her phone taken from her hand last week. She had her gu...

Not 'tears of a clown' from 2015-06-03T15:15

We explore the links between comedy and mental health with funny people Felicity Ward, Stuart Goldsmith and also Harriet Dyer, who's starting a club night for comedians with mental health difficult...

Wear your label from 2015-05-19T14:43

This week: the new fashion line which wants you to disclose your mental health difficulties by wearing tell-tale slogans - tweet @bbcouch

New disability minister and angry notes on cars from 2015-05-19T07:03

This week we discuss post-election news. Plus, the disabled woman who received an abusive note on her windscreen for not displaying a parking badge.

Gigging, stuttering, men's mental health from 2015-05-06T10:06

This month: Podcaster and rapper Scroobius Pip talks about his speech impediment and how he believes it made him more creative. Plus TV presenter and entrepreneur Sophie Morgan on setting up a high...

Not disabled in a parallel universe from 2015-04-29T14:21

After Prof Stephen Hawking said Zayn Malik is still in One Direction in an alternative universe, we ask the obvious disability question. With Damon, Kate and Johny.

"You walk funny" from 2015-04-14T13:39

A glimpse under the bonnet at how the Ouch team get along, and do you disclose your disability on dating sites?

talk show: Driving, prison, being a man from 2015-03-31T16:59

Meet the man who was in prison three years ago and now hopes to reach the Rio Paralympics. Will blind and severely disabled people ever be able to travel independently in driverless cars? Plus the ...

#GiveBenAJob from 2015-03-24T17:28

After a Twitter campaign secured a man with Down’s syndrome his first paid job, the Ouch team chats about the unique barriers faced by disabled people entering the world of work.

Inside Ouch: Disability, douze points from 2015-03-18T10:07

There are at least three disabled entries in this year’s Eurovision song contest. Damon, Emma and Kathleen explain who they are and speculate whether one of them might win.

Inside Ouch: IS release video featuring two deaf fighters from 2015-03-11T15:00

Deaf blogger Charlie Swinbourne on how the community has reacted to an Islamic State sign language video, plus disability chat from the Ouch team.

Talk Show: Stump art, disabled models, black canes from 2015-03-04T17:36

On this month's show: The blind man who swapped his white cane for a marching band. The amputee who dresses her stump up as celebrities and gets her internet followers to guess who it is. And why w...

Inside Ouch: Who can use accessible loos? from 2015-02-27T16:27

They’re in the news this week but what are disabled people’s biggest toilet-related gripes? And should others be cut some slack for nipping in when the facility is free? With Damon, Emma and Kathle...

Oscars, acting and singing on the tube from 2015-02-05T01:01

Is it really like "blacking up" if a non-disabled actor plays a disabled role? Plus the monthly quiz, music and the man with mental health difficulties filmed singing on the tube who became a viral...

Blind fashion, role models and jobs from 2015-01-09T01:01

This month: blind people and fashion, guerrilla ways to get a job and disabled role models with guests academic Tom Shakespeare, disability recruitment advisor Tracey Abbott and blogger Emily Davis...

talk show 114: Christmas quiz from 2014-12-09T17:38

On this month's show - comedian Chris McCausland, filmmaker Dolly Sen and broadcaster Mik Scarlet join Kate and Rob in the studio for the seasonal disability quiz. With Rob Crossan and Kate Monaghan.

show 113: Did you say ‘inspiration porn’? from 2014-11-17T18:26

On this month's show - comedian Stella Young doesn't want to be considered an inspiration just for being disabled, and Bad Education star Jack Binstead on setting up his own YouTube channel.
A...

show 112: Green juice vs bacon rolls from 2014-09-25T18:04

On this month's show: The nutriciously popular blogger who swapped medication for a plant-based diet and how social media can help people with mental health difficulties.
Also: After the recent...

show 111: Religion and politics from 2014-08-28T16:45

We look at Guide Gods, a show about how different faiths think about disability. And, with the Scottish referendum nearly on us, we ask two disabled Scots, one in the yes camp, one in the no, how i...

show 110: Being mean from 2014-07-17T17:52

Have you ever got mad with someone trying to help you? Comedian Laurence Clark has, his latest show is all about those moments of instant regret disabled people sometimes have. Also: Jess Thom - ak...

show 109: Tetra belly from 2014-06-19T13:44

Do disabled people have a ready-made excuse not to diet or exercise if they have limited movement? We talk to a mobility impaired woman who has lost 4 stone after changing her lifestyle. Also: Ment...