BBC Two's latest film, Then Barbara Met Alan, airs on Monday night and tells the true story of Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworth, a former couple who founded DAN, the Disabled Peoples Direct Action Network.
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BAFTA-winning writer, Jack Thorne, who is known for his work on His Dark Materials and Skins, is behind the production that stars Ruth Madeley and Arthur Hughes. Read on to discover the incredible true story that inspired the film.
WATCH: Will you be watching the new film?
The true story that inspired Then Barbara Met Alan
Comedian Barbara Lisicki and singer-songwriter Alan Holdsworth met in the early 90s and campaigned for the civil rights of disabled people and an end to discrimination during a time when deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people in Britain faced major barriers.
The pair joined forces to protest against Telethon, a 24-hour charity broadcast that was believed by many to show disabled people in a negative light and was also criticised for its patronising tone. The 'Block Telethon' protests took place outside ITV’s studios and aimed to change how disabled people were viewed by the British media and society.
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Barbara and Alan then founded DAN, a disability rights activist organisation that campaigned for civil rights with high-profile street demonstrations involving non-violent civil disobedience, rallies and protests.
Barbara and her former partner Alan campaigned for disability rights in the 1990s
They would go on to take their new baby with them on tour to picket inaccessible cinemas, restaurants, bus and train stations.
The couple would later take on Westminster, bringing the institution to a standstill to ensure that disabled people were granted equal rights. Their efforts led to the creation of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Who is in the cast?
Years and Years actress Ruth Madeley and Arthur Hughes (The Innocents) star in the new film and are joined by the real-life Barbara and Alan, who appear as themselves.
Philippa Cole, Liz Carr and Mat Fraser also feature in the production.
Lead actress Ruth Madeley posted a first-look image on Instagram last year
Speaking about her role, Ruth told the BBC: "To play a character like Barbara is really special. It's every actor's dream to play such an amazing character with an epic story to tell, and it’s even better that this was a real story of such importance.
"As actors, we don’t always get to tell stories that are so close to home, but this was so relevant and truthful."
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