Thorne spells out push for diversity

Comment

WRITER Jack Thorne last night announced he has set up a pressure group which wants to “make every space accessible” to improve representation for disabled people working within television. “We’re calling ourselves Underlying Health Condition,” he said during the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture, “because frankly, TV has one.” The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child playwright, who is working with actress Genevieve Barr and producer Katie Player, fears the industry has gone backwards on diversity due to Covid and is calling for a “dedicated fund”. “Making these changes will cost and after a pandemic they can’t simply be passed onto the studios,” he warned.