New disabled character joins Eastenders

29th July 2009

Disabled actor David Proud is to join the cast of Eastenders later this year.

The casting was announced at the launch of the BBC's Disabled Talent Directory by BBC Director of Vision Jana Bennett.

"In recent years, we've had a number of regular and guest characters with disabilities, some of them children, like Janet Mitchell, and more recently Syd's son Noah. We've also told the story of Jean Slater, who suffers from bi-polar disorder.

"But this is the first time we've had a regular adult character with a visible disability played by an actor with a disability. It's about time."

David played Charlie Johnson in CBBC's Desperados and Blake in ITV2's Secret Diary Of A Call Girl series two.

For more information on the Disabled Talent Directory and the new disabled character in Eastenders see the press release here:

<http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/06_june/04/directory.shtml>