It seems no time at all since BBC viewers complained about former Blue Peter presenter Caron Keating on the grounds their children could not understand her Northern Irish accent, the suggestion being that, despite her talent, she should be replaced by one of the many accentless presenters employed at the time. In the 1980s the (in)famous BBC presenter voice reigned and anybody with the faintest hint of a regional dialect would be barely tolerated. 

How times have changed. Belfast-bred Eamon Holmes now sits happily in the mainstream, as a presenter on ITV''s This Morning, as does Northern Irish Christine Bleakely on BBC 1's One Show. Thankfully, TV schedules are filled, night and day, with people from all corners of the UK and beyond.

But this story http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090223/tuk-one-armed-cbeebies-host-scaring-chil-45dbed5.html shows prejudice against others viewed as different remains. Apparently, it is still unacceptable for people with disabilties to feature in mainstream shows. Shamefully, one poster Barry says he is concerned that Cbeebies presenter Cerrie Burnell, who has one arm, may "scare kids because of her disability," adding that his is a "serious post". I'm grateful he clarifies the point because his comments are laughable, albeit it in a grim way. Cbeebies controller Michael Carrington has the last and most sensible word: "It just goes to show how important it is to have positive disabled role models on Cbeebies and television in general."   

Read the complete post at http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/social-work-blog/2009/02/disability-and-tv-still-dont-m.html