Absolutely Furious - Fringe row over 'dwarf curling'

Thursday 11 August 2005

In response to Channel Four's pilot Breakfast of Champions in which people with restricted growth are used in a 'dwarf curling' sketch presented by Jim Bowen, Agnes Fletcher, Assistant Director of Communications and Policy at the Disability Rights Commission said:

"Producing programmes where disabled people are treated as objects of fun is so yesterday.

"Channel Four should instead, broadcast side-splittingly funny Abnormally Funny People where Simon and other disabled comedians tell the jokes, and aren't the butt of them.

"C4 have produced some great comedy programmes in the past where disabled people throw the comedic punches. That's what they ought to be producing, not shabby material which even the presenter questions."