Podcast appearances and mentions of simon minty

We head to Cologne, Germany, where we catch-up with the man they dubbed the parastronaut - former Paralympian and surgeon John McFall. He was recruited by the European Space Agency one year ago to work out how space travel might be different for disabled people. He tells us about his findings so far and we ask about recent headlines which claim his prosthetic leg would poison those aboard a space station. Gogglebox's Simon Minty, and former host of Ouch, joins us and chats about growing up with his non-disabled sister and fellow Goggleboxer Jane and how in recent years he has been competing at the World Dwarf Games…and winning medals! Plus Nikki Fox, host and BBC Disability Correspondent, is given 60 seconds to round-up the latest benefits situation introduced in the chancellor's Autumn Statement. Presenters: Nikki Fox and Emma Tracey. Recorded and mixed by DJ Dave O'Neill. Produced by Alex Collins, Emma Tracey and Damon Rose. Edited by Beth Rose, senior editor is Sam Bonham. Find us on BBC Sounds every week and subscribe there, or wherever you get your podcasts. Holler "Alexa, ask the BBC for Access All". Contact us by email: accessall@bbc.co.uk and follow us on X, formerly twitter, on @bbcaccessall.

   Simon Minty has delivered consultancy, training and public speaking in the field of diversity, specialising in disability, since early 2000s. Based in London, his work is international. He works with many clients from a small NGO to a multinational corporation. This international work has helped Simon develop a broader under-standing of different cultural approaches to disability. He also has a creative side, helping im-prove the portrayal of disabled people in media and has worked with BBC, Channel 4, Endemol Shine, All Three Media, Warner and Sky. He's produced numerous videos and co-produced and performed in the sell out Edinburgh Fringe comedy show Ab-normally Funny People in 2005 and 2015. Abnormally Funny People performed virtually for London's Southbank Centre in 2021 via Zoom. He co-hosts two podcasts, BBC Ouch! and The Way We Roll. His client list is substanAal and includes BBC, Barclays, BriAsh Council, Buckingham Palace, Google, Lloyds Banking and Open Society FoundaAon. In addiAon, Simon is a Non-execuAve director of Motability Opera>ons. He is on the board of The National Theatre and is a trustee of Improbable Theatre and of StopGap Dance. He is an Ambassador to the Business Disability Forum and Busi-ness Disability Interna>onal. He also helped establish the Disability Media Alli-ance Project in California. Simon has a Post Graduate diploma in Dis-ability Management at Work and a BSc (Joint Hons) in Philosophy and Sociology, both from City University in London. A keen traveller, he won the Travel X Travel Writer of the Year 1999 – Best Television Feature for his Channel 4 travel pro-gramme in China. In 2016 GQ named him as one of the 100 best connected men in the UK. He has fea-tured on the Power 100 List of disabled people for many years. He has personal experience of disability being of short stature and limited mobility. He uses a mobility scooter for distance. 

This year’s Ouch Christmas quiz features some very topical dilemmas and questions based on the biggest disability news and events of 2020. Actor Mat Fraser, comedian Rosie Jones and Paralympian ‘Hurricane’ Hannah Cockcroft fight it out for no prizes whatsoever as they share their take on the last 12 months. You’re shielding but your flatmate brings a stranger home from their work Christmas party. Do you get angry, or get even? Why is Mat looking for his special bell? And which contestant isn’t wearing trousers? Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Produced by Keiligh Baker and edited by Drew Miller Hyndman. Say to your smart speaker "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to get the latest show, and subscribe via BBC Sounds. Picture: Ouch logo

As working from home becomes the new normal, is it really all its cracked up to be? Or could it actually be making the situation worse for disabled staff? Simon Minty chats with Nana Marfo who lives with a permanent tracheostomy tube and has been working from home since March. He misses catching up with colleagues, but on the plus side; no commute means a lie-in! Lilu Wheeler has found working from home to be a mixed blessing – staying at home accommodates her auditory processing difficulties and ulcerative colitis – but she can feel out of the loop and misses those watercooler conversations. The government has said it will give financial support to disabled staff who want to work from home in the long term, by extending Access to Work. That's great for those who enjoy it, but could it also prompt some employers to be less accommodating and encourage their disabled staff to stay away from the office permanently? Produced by Kirstie Brewer. Subscribe to this podcast on BBC Sounds or ask 'Ask the BBC for Ouch' to your smart speaker.

Married couple Kiruna Stamell and Gareth Berliner haven’t been further than the local chemist since early March. That won’t change, they say, unless masks become mandatory in all public places or Gareth’s hospital deems it safe for him to attend appointments. Gareth’s nutrition has been delivered via a line in his chest for 20 years due to short gut syndrome. It keeps him alive but infections have led to numerous bouts of sepsis. Covid-19 would be more dangerous for him than most, so wife Kiruna also stays home to avoid coronavirus. Making Pirate and Parrot TV, a YouTube series for kids, has kept the comedian with Crohn’s and the actor with dwarfism busy during 18 weeks at home. Presented by Simon Minty. Produced by Emma Tracey Subscribe to Ouch on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Swinbourne has plenty to keep him busy during lockdown as he develops storylines for deaf characters with EastEnders and Casualty. He reveals what it's like to be deaf at a time when everyone is social-distancing and where mouths are covered by masks, making lip-reading impossible. The writer and journalist also talks about the hashtag #WhereIsTheInterpreter which raised awareness of the fact sign language interpreters do not appear at the daily British government briefings. The hashtag has now morphed into a crowdfunding project to take the government to court using equality laws but Number 10 says it provides signers via the BBC News Channel. Beyond politics we head to soap-land to get the scoop on Charlie's TV projects and, if you're thinking of giving writing a try, he has some top tips to get you started and keep you going. Presented by Simon Minty and Beth Rose. Subscribe on BBC Sounds or say “Ask the BBC for Ouch” to your smart speaker.

Beth and Ellen had been enjoying their moment in the spotlight as the Diabetic Duo when coronavirus came along. The type 1 diabetics had become known for their videos on the social media platform TikTok and dispelled myths around the condition, but the current pandemic and self-isolation has meant they’ve had to get creative with how they make their content. In this episode of Cabin Fever the duo reveal why diabetes is classed as High Risk in relation to Covid-19, how their emotions affect their blood sugar levels and their recent obsession with tie-dye loungewear. This week's presenters are having quite different quarantine issues. Simon Minty is a little person and says that had a stranger turned away from him in the street he would have taken it badly a few weeks ago - now it's positively welcome! And Emma feels liberated by lockdown. As a blind mum she says her house and garden are her “castle” and being at the home she knows so well means she can run about and play with her young boys independently. Produced by Beth Rose. Subscribe to Ouch on BBC Sounds and say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

When Ellen and Beth posted a TikTok video before they went out for the night, little did they know it would go viral by morning. The students from Northern Ireland happened to leave the blood sugar monitors in shot. They are are fixed to their arms and help them manage their type one diabetes, and the world wanted to know more. Now the two women from Belfast create TikTok videos as the Diabetic Duo - often just a few seconds long - to show what life with type one diabetes is really like, but in a light-hearted and sometime frivolous way - like the weirdest places they’ve injected insulin into themselves (think a cheerleading human pyramid) and what to do if your blood sugar levels drop at exactly the same time. The Diabetic Duo reveal what its like to become social media stars overnight and how unusual it is that two best friends would both be diagnosed as type one diabetics, a predisposed condition not affected by lifestyle, which only affects 8% of all diabetics. If you have diabetes, please consult a health care professional before drinking alcohol. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Subscribe to Ouch as a podcast on BBC Sounds or ask your smart speaker for BBC Ouch.

Actor George Robinson reveals what it's like to play Isaac, the first disabled character in Netflix's Sex Education. George became tetraplegic just a few years ago when he broke his neck in a school rugby tackle gone-wrong. The question is, did he watch the show - full of teenage sex, angst and mishaps - with his parents? Professional magician Fergus Flanagan first got into tricks when he was 10-years-old - about the same time he realised he was different to everyone else. He'd started to experience intrusive thoughts relating to hitting or kicking disabled people - something he never acted on and has since gone away. But it would be another 10 years before he told anyone about it and it was given a name - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - something he's now created a magic show around. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. A full transcript will be available here soon. Subscribe to Ouch on BBC Sounds or say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker.

Sinead Burke is all about fashion and equality and in September appeared on the front cover of British Vogue. At three and a half feet tall, she is a fair few notches below average height and describes herself as a "little person". Find out what happens when you are too short to be able to reach up and lock the toilet door behind you? Or what if the most fashionable choice of clothes you have are in the children's department and have "Daddy's Little Princess" written on them? In this month's Ouch podcast from the BBC, Sinead explains how she has used people's interest in fashion to shine a light on inclusive design in public spaces and equality generally and how it has led to other opportunities and the launch of her own podcast. Inspiration is a hideously over-used word when talking about disabled people but I think we can safely say this is a genuinely uplifting listen which gives plenty of great ideas, different ways of looking at life and, if you are disabled, it may well stoke your self esteem a little. One of the hosts of our programme, Simon Minty, is also a little person which lets us dive deep into areas most interviewers wouldnt' think to ask which also brings plenty of wicked humour. With Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty Ouch is on BBC Sounds and available on your smart speaker by yelling "ask the BBC for Ouch".

Souleyman Bah was the first disabled contestant on BBC One's The Apprentice. But just three weeks into the season he was fired by Lord Sugar and told he was “brave” for being there - how did he feel when he was served up with that cliche from the famous businessman? And what was it like behind the scenes?(*) The Vacuum Cleaner, aka James Leadbitter, has run his mental health project Madlove for five years. It’s all about giving people a say in what their care should look and feel like. He tells Ouch about his new project where he has taken over a former branch of Argos in St Helens, Merseyside, and turned it into a mental health sanctuary, complete with its own blend of tea. How hard is it to be green when you’re disabled and have to use more taxis and avoid the easy to use products with throwaway packaging, for instance. Sam Little gives us some tips and tricks on being environmentally friendly. And we take a wry look at the newly published power list of disabled people from Shaw Trust. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Spread the word, subscribe to us on your BBC Sounds app and say "Ask the BBC for Ouch" to your smart speaker to play the latest episode. (*) On the podcast, Souleyman said his top moments hadn't made the final edit on The Apprentice. It was also suggested he needed more support. In a statement from The Apprentice, a spokesman says: “The team worked hard to ensure that appropriate measures were taken throughout the production process and one-to-one support was given to Souleyman during tasks to enable him to participate in the process fairly alongside the other candidates. Production continually worked with Souleyman to decide upon and ensure the appropriate adjustments were made at every stage, both in the house and whilst on task.”

When we put three disabled comedians together round a picnic table we hadn’t banked on hearing one of the best disability love stories we’ve ever heard. We're a hard-bitten cynical bunch at Ouch sometimes but this was a beautiful moment from Spring Day about her relationship with BBC Three's one and only Jerk, Tim Renkow. The story packs even more of a punch when you find out about her history and how much fun they’ve been having as a couple ever since. Features the "catholic cure for stammering", body positivity and more in the podcast that does disability differently - almost like it's normal. With Jon Long and Aidan Greene. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty, Produced by Emma Tracey and recorded at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019.

If you are disabled and believe that a product to solve your problem doesn’t exist yet, listen up. A network of volunteer engineers are on-hand to help. When Sarah Stones realised leaning heavily on her left arm was taking its toll but couldn’t find a device to help, she reached out to Remap, a charity that makes bespoke solutions for disabled people. Engineer Akshaya Ahuja made her an armband with a pressure-sensitive alarm that would make her straighten up. About to go to market is an accessible toy kitchen which is suitable both for kids who use wheelchairs, and those who stand. Designer Bex French works for Demand, a similar charity to Remap which creates cool stuff for disabled people. We put Bex and Akshaya on the spot with challenges from listeners, the presenters, and blind geek extraordinaire Robin Christopherson. Will Kate get a new skin to stop her joints from moving out of place? Why was Simon admiring Sarah’s seat? And what’s all the hype about buckwheat pillows? Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Produced by Emma Tracey. Subscribe now to BBC Ouch in BBC Sounds or ask for us on your smart speaker by saying "play Ouch disability talk from the BBC"

Living your best life when death is closer than you'd like it to be - that's what we're talking about on this month's long podcast. It's a very upbeat show about tricky disability stuff. Doctors told Lucy Watts she wouldn't make it to the age of 18 - she's now 25 and has survived sepsis 14 times. Her assistance dog Molly licks her hand three hours before any symptoms appear which gives Lucy time to get life-saving treatment. Her story about living while dying, growing up fast and realising that she's worthy of a sex life comes with warmth, energy and belly laughs. BBC Tech correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones went public with his Parkinson's diagnosis after people noticed his hand shaking on live TV. Since then, the Government have recruited him to their Disability Confident campaign, he has been part of a study and tech innovations designed for people with the condition are being pushed his way. Psychotherapist Mel Halacre, who specialises in disabled people and their mental health, also lends her expertise Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Produced by Emma Tracey.

I’ve known Simon Minty for many years in fact for a number of those years we were business partners, so I feel I know him pretty well. In this conversation, Simon talks about the things he finds invaluable in helping to maintain his level of independence and I must admit there were one or two surprises.  Simon has delivered training and consultancy in the field of equalities since 1997. He has personal experience of disability, being of short stature and of limited mobility. Based in London, Simon works throughout the UK and internationally. Simon’s passion for equality, his innate and learned knowledge of disability, his ability to listen and address the issue in hand combined with an infectious sense of humour has enabled him to successfully work with clients from a small NGO to a multi-national investment bank.   He’s produced numerous videos and co-produced and performed in the sell-out Edinburgh Fringe comedy show Abnormally Funny People in 2005, returning again in 2015. He is a host of BBC Ouch podcast and the Phil & Simon Show A keen traveller, he won the Travel X Travel Writer of the Year 1999 – Best Television Feature for his Channel 4 travel programme in China. Go Go Elite Traveller Plus http://bit.ly/2W08fxS Folding Step Stool Folding Step Stool (http://bit.ly/2UGH62u) Uber App https://apple.co/2VWNwen City Maps https://apple.co/2VXExtg Google Maps Step Free Access article http://bit.ly/2VVRe87

From being a working class disabled person to waiting for that brown envelope to arrive for your benefits reassessment. This show, recorded in front of a live audience, moves from one emotion to another. Comedian Jackie Hagan describes how she went from feeling she had to prove she could still do everything and more, after having one leg amputated, to realising she didn't actually have to become a hero. Performer Conor A has fibromyalgia, an impairment usually associated with women. He reveals how he was treated by doctors and how he learned to build access needs into his own show such as a prompter for when he goes all 'fibro fog'. Presented by Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan at the I'm Here, Where Are You? festival in Cambridge. A transcript will be available soon. Subscribe now to BBC Ouch in BBC Sounds or ask for us on your smart speaker by saying "play Ouch disability talk from the BBC".

Have you ever been lost in a passionate moment only to realise your hips are about to dislocate? Well, Xandra Lee has been in that precarious place more times than she'd like to remember and set about writing a sex and relationships manual for people with 'dodgy hips'. Diagnosed with hip dysplasia as a teenager, she quickly realised there was no information out there - medical or otherwise - for safe, painless sex, especially if, like her, you are a younger person. So, she set about changing that by writing a book: Sex, with these Hips?. The other guest on the programme is Mel Halacre, a mental health counsellor who specialises in disability. She talks to Ouch about how the constant drip drip drip of low-level discrimination can build into bigger problems, and provides useful coping strategies for listeners. Presented by Emma Tracey and Simon Minty

After years on the circuit, American comedian Tim Renkow has just released his first TV series - Jerk. The BBC Three show follows a "heightened" version of Renkow, who has cerebral palsy. TV Tim is "too lazy" to sort out his own visa, so instead he plays on and uses his disability to mess with people and take advantage of every situation. Tim reveals to BBC Ouch how much truth was behind the sitcom, how he got The Soprano's actress Lorraine Bracco to play his mother and what it was like to have a fist-fight with fellow comedian and Britain's Got Talent winner, Lost Voice Guy, who also has cerebral palsy. Bashir Aziz, who has vitiligo, and Rachel Reynolds who has thousands of tumours on her body, talk about living with visible differences and what it was like to live together for 10 days in new Channel Five show, The House of Extraordinary People. Presented by Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan. Subscribe now in BBC Sounds or ask for us on your smart speaker by saying "play Ouch disability talk from the BBC". Picture courtesy of Roughcut Television Ltd.

As Annalisa D’Innella’s sight deteriorates, people become more awkward around her. Why is this and what can she do about it? UK teen Tilly Griffiths had some awkward conversations when arranging 24-hour care for university in America but spoiler alert, she got there. And Jordan Statham’s standoffs with teachers were pretty #awkward before he was diagnosed autistic. One raised five million pounds for charity, one wrote Simon’s favourite song and another’s 9-year-old daughter has the same jumpsuit as grown-up Kate. Find out which is which on the latest talk show. With Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Subscribe now in BBC Sounds or ask for us on your smart speaker "play Ouch disability talk from the BBC".

On this week’s show we speak to consultant Simon Minty about using comedy to help get serious messages and change to happen. On the bookclub, we look back on Grant Leboff’s Sticky Marketing. And we also get up to date with the latest on Bitcoin energy consumption in the form of national anthems… Don’t forget […]

The Great British Bake Off contestant Briony Williams has a missing left hand but some viewers didn’t spot it until episode three. How did she get by in that famous tent without any help or disability adjustments? BAFTA-nominated Ruth Madeley is currently filming with Emma Thompson, but in the summer she made a Horizon documentary about her impairment, spina bifida. Ruth got to watch pioneering surgery on an unborn baby with the condition and ask how her own mum reacted when told she was carrying a disabled daughter. Kitch, the rapper with a stammer and a great back story, performs at the end of the show. Presented by Simon Minty and Shannon Murray. A full transcript will be available soon. For more Disability News, follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to the weekly podcast on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The comedian Tanyalee Davis, who recently gained attention on social media after an incident involving her mobility scooter and an unhappy train guard, believes that the rules and attitudes in the UK are way behind those in North America - and they stop disabled people from getting around. She says: "Where's your carer" and "That's against health and safety" are the kind of typical remarks she hears in the UK from people in authority. She says they block her from having the freedom she enjoys in her home country Canada, and in the US. Tanyalee is joined in the studio by poet Raymond Antrobus who explores deafness and being a mixed race Londoner in his poetry and spoken word performances. "I really like the quote 'if your classroom doesn't represent the make-up of the society that you live in, you've been miseducated'," he says, in an honest and engaging interview. Scroll down to read a transcript in the Related Links section of this page. Presented by Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan. Get BBC Ouch's disability talk programme delivered to your device every week. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Archbishop of Canterbury and two of his daughters talk frankly about their experiences of disability and mental health and how the church can be more inclusive. In her first interview, Ellie Welby chats about her learning disability and how she can feel she's on the edge of church-life and Katherine warns that offering to pray for someone could be side-stepping a more important opportunity to talk to them about their worries. Archbishop Justin also reveals his surprising TV choices, what it was like to officiate at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and his plans for the upcoming christening of Prince Louis. Vicar of Dibley co-writer and comedy producer Paul Mayhew-Archer joins the Welby family in the studio to talk about life with Parkinson's Disease and his new Edinburgh show about it, and published author, Frasier, who's just 10-years-old, charms everyone with his book about refugees. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty.

Verne Troyer played Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films. Following his recent death, fellow short person Eugene Grant says the character normalised violent attacks against others with dwarfism. Plus, as exam season gets underway, what’s it doing to your mental health? We talk to campaigner Jonny Benjamin, who runs mental health workshops in schools, and we hear how your teacher could have given you maths anxiety. And meet the artist who gives her drawings away - as therapy. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. (Photo: Verne Troyer Credit: Reuters) Clip of Britain’s Got Talent courtesy of FreemantleMedia

Comedian Lost Voice Guy tells Ouch that the late Stephen Hawking made it more acceptable for people like him, who speak using a voice synth. Also, should the professor's voice be used again by someone else? And the heat is getting turned up as we hear more stories from wheelchair-users like the BBC's Frank Gardner who have had their wheelchairs damaged when travelling by plane. And, as we continue our programme dedicated to Stephen Hawking, we speak with Peter Benie. He is one of the team who helped recreate Hawking's distinctive electronic voice because it was thought the original one which he had been using since the 80s, would break down. They managed to complete the long-running project just before he died. Baroness Jane Campbell and journalist Ellis Palmer are in the studio. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Subscribe to Ouch wherever you get your podcasts. Like us, rate us and leave a nice review - this helps others find our programmes. Email ouch@bbc.co.uk Tweet @bbcouch and find us on Facebook. A transcript will appear on this page soon in the Related Links section below.

How do you deal with chronic pain? Do you search for an answer or try to manage it long term? Former star of Grange Hill and lead singer of the 1980's band Monsoon, Sheila Chandra, lives with burning mouth syndrome. She describes it as "when you grab a hot cup of tea and take a huge mouthful of scolding tea....". Julia Buckley travelled the world searching for a cure for her Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). After taking part in a voodoo ritual in Haiti Julia finally found a healer in Brazil who took her pain away. We also speak to Mya Choudry from the EDS support group. And Ouch's Beth Rose gives us the lowdown on the upcoming Paralympics before she heads off to Pyeongchang. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Produced by Damon Rose. We welcome your feedback. Subscribe, like, share or review us on Apple Podcasts or whichever service you get your podcasts from. The more you do this, the more you'll flag this programme to other disabled people who might appreciate it. Send us your ideas and feedback or just say hello: email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook.

St Valentine's Day is almost here. It's a time for chocolates, champagne and swiping right. But disabled people often have some extra uncertainties to factor in. When is the right time to tell your internet date that you are disabled - before you meet, or when you meet? And is it much harder to snag a date if you're disabled and also transgender, for instance? Presenters Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty attempt to answer some of these questions with guests Mik Scarlet, Pipa Riggs, Mills and Boon author Ellie Darkin and Abbi Brown. The producer is Damon Rose. Please tell your friends about us. Like and share Ouch on social media, and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.

Ever been told “you can’t do that” in the gym because you’re disabled? Wheelchair-using gym instructor Kris Saunders-Stowe gives us the lowdown on everything you can do, including "wheelchair spinning" classes, and Bad Education star Jack Binstead talks about his love of the gym. We also talk to Becky who’s seeking a hot date on the latest series of The Undatables and do the public, whoever they are, still assume disabled people don't have sex? That's surely just a cliche, right? Wrong, says Kate - our host who's disabled and in a same-sex marriage, who found herself having a very awkward conversation at the hospital recently. Plus, Robin Christopherson talks about the latest technology trends which could make disabled peoples’ lives easier in 2018. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Subscribe, like, share or review us on Apple Podcasts or whichever service you get your podcasts from. The more you do this, the more you'll flag this programme to other disabled people who might appreciate it. Send us your ideas and feedback or just say hello: email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook.

In a festive first we pit BBC Washington Correspondent Gary O’Donoghue against Watchdog’s Nikki Fox and BBC Ouch’s Simon Minty in a ferocious battle over disability dilemmas. Would they disturb a couple getting close in an accessible loo if they were desperate? Would they swipe left or right on a dating app if the person in question was also disabled and we get the lowdown on the horror stories of appearing on Celebrity Mastermind. Presented by Beth Rose. Produced and edited by Emma Tracey and Helen Weaver.

Chris Young describes himself as a cuddly and warm person but says that when dissociating due to borderline personality disorder nothing feels real, the world goes “seriously fuzzy” and touching his wife becomes “like handling meat”. He’s walking and talking his way around the UK to raise awareness of the condition. Also in studio are two young stroke survivors who fell in love, and US disability rights advocate Lawrence Carter-Long on why for him, the word disabled trumps differently abled or special needs. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. The Producer is Emma Tracey. Please tell your friends about us. Like and share Ouch on social media, and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from.

They're talked about a lot at the moment, but can "sex robots" help disabled people? Also, the disabled teen punk who left home to find an independent life for herself in the less-accessible 80s. And the action movie where sign language is a super-power. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Subscribe to the Ouch podcast and have our programmes delivered to your device every week. And please like, review and share Ouch so that others can find it more easily.

The playwright who experiences pain as sounds and pictures, Tourettes Hero Jess Thom on performing Beckett’s play Not I, the comedian with cerebral palsy whose slow speech is part of her act and the man whose poem OCD has 62 million YouTube hits. The sounds and images in The Shape of the Pain represent how playwright Rachel Bagshaw experiences chronic pain so accurately, that watching her own show makes it worse. Rosie Jones’ slow talking speed is a feature of her stand-up comedy routine. The funny woman with cerebral palsy offers her take on this month’s disability news. Jess Thom’s relaxed performance of Beckett’s Not I has been adapted to work with her untypical brain and body. She can’t quite believe how much “a non-disabled dead man” has captured her experience of Tourettes syndrome. Neil Hilborn is a performance poet with diagnoses of bipolar and obsessive compulsive disorder. His poem OCD has 62 million YouTube hits but he performs a new piece exclusively for us at the end of the show. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Produced by Emma Tracey, the production assistant was Paul Johnston. Subscribe to Ouch as a weekly podcast and, if you wouldn't mind, we'd be delighted if you could review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from - it helps other people find us.

With stories of running away to Skegness aged 14 and the culture-clash of going from a council estate to Cambridge University, it’s fair to say Allan Hennessy stole the show this month. He’s that visually impaired Iraqi refugee whose recent BBC video went viral after he graduated with a first class law degree. Also in the studio is autistic trumpeter Robyn Steward who sparked a lively debate on the language of disability. And playwright Jackie Hagan recalls the weeks after her leg amputation when she had to use a food bank. She was forced to leave a trail of elderflower water and custard creams behind her because the parcel was too heavy to carry home while she was using her crutches. Jackie's play, Cosmic Scallies, about disability, poverty and friendship, is at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty.

Meet heavyweight boxer Joe Joyce who was born almost 30 years ago to his mum Marvel Opara, then a teenager with a visual impairment. The mother and son combo from London have done many challenges together but have now gone solo - Joe won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics and Marvel is about to climb Kilimanjaro. Glaswegian comedian Ray Bradshaw is a child of deaf adults - also known as a CODA. His 2017 Edinburgh Fringe show, Deaf Comedy Fam, is about growing up with parents who can't hear and he plans to simultaneously sign and speak it which is even harder than you might imagine, apparently. From helping pay the bills through to pointing out the right bus, Joe and Ray trade stories on life with disabled parents. Also, Samantha Renke discusses accessible housing in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster and Naomi Lawson-Jacobs tells us about Autistic Pride Day. Plus Kate Monaghan saves someone's life this month. Presented by Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan. Produced by Emma Tracey. Write and tell us what you're up to - Email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. Subscribe to Ouch as a weekly podcast and, if you wouldn't mind, we'd be delighted if you could review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from - it helps other people find us.

Meet Jared O'Mara. He's the MP who knocked former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg off his Sheffield Hallam seat in the recent General Election. It was one of the most talked about scalpings from the early hours of 9 June and O'Mara himself didn't expect to win. [Find a full transcript in the Related Links section below] The 35 year-old was born and bred in Sheffield and has cerebral palsy. A former activist, he knows his disability politics well and proudly says his impairment is part of him and it has helped create the man he is. With Damon Rose and Beth Rose. Write and tell us what you're up to - Email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. Subscribe to Ouch as a weekly podcast and, if you wouldn't mind, we'd be delighted if you review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts from - it helps other people find us. Share and like Ouch too. Thanks. Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty are back next week with another installment of their hour-long monthly talk show. That's all on this feed.

Tom Skelton adds his bizarre sense of humour to the Ouch podcast and talks about his forthcoming Edinburgh Fringe show Blind Man's Bluff. (Scroll down to the Related Links section to find a transcript) In the show he brings historical blind figures to life to help him tell the tale of his sight loss eight years ago. But they’re not the usual blind role models you might think of - gone is David Blunkett, in is Samson of Old Testament fame who went blind after having his strength-giving hair chopped off. And have you ever heard of Bella the Blind? - a Hungarian king of old. Skelton's sight difficulties come courtesy of a disorder which has been passed down through his family, known as Leber hereditary optic neuropathy. He talks to Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan about this and admits he hasn’t spoken seriously about it before. And then he and Kate flirt. A lot. Produced by Damon Rose. Email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. Tell us what you think, and tell us your story. You can subscribe to Ouch as a weekly podcast. It's about disability, but it's also not. Please review Ouch on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts - people who'd like the show will get to hear about it if you help us with this small request. Please also like and share it on Twitter or Facebook. See you next Friday

This podcast contains discussions about suicide. If you are struggling at the moment, you may choose to leave this episode for another day. Why are so many students dropping out of university due to mental health problems? And what's so great about disability-focused private Facebook groups? Comedian and mental health campaigner Juliette Burton, and TV personality Mik Scarlet, take us through the stories grabbing their attention on social media this month with good humour and the benefit of their personal experience. "I can't face another winter with multiple sclerosis," said Colin, in a TV interview about plans to end his life at a Swiss clinic. Fellow MSer Rona was watching, and realising he lived locally, tracked Colin down and convinced him to halt the process. They have since become friends. In an emotional conversation for everyone around the table, Colin and Rhona discuss how a person comes to contemplate assisted suicide, the support that is and should be available for people with MS, and stem cell treatment. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. The producer was Damon Rose. Email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. Tell us what you think, and tell us your story. Subscribe to Ouch as a weekly podcast. It's not about disability, it's just disability-ish. Please review us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do this then more people who'd like the show will get to hear about it. And you can help too by sharing it, and liking it on Twitter or Facebook. We're back next week.

Actor Mat Fraser speaks with Ouch's Emma Tracey about his role in Richard III at the Hull Truck theatre starting in May. (A transcript can be found in the related links section of this page) The outspoken and hilarious Fraser discusses everything from queuing for a plane through to kickboxing and acting in this wide-ranging conversation. A must listen. Please like, share and review this podcast on iTunes and wherever you are enjoying it or downloading your podcasts from. Contact us by emailing ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. We want to hear from you. Email us and say hi, tell us what you'd like to hear on the podcast, and let us know how you think we're doing. Back next week with an hour-long monthly talk show with Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan.

This month's talk-show is all about the stage as playwright Nicola Werenowska reveals her new play is based on her late diagnosis of dyspraxia. Director Stephen Unwin talks about how his disabled son, Joey, inspired him to look through the history books and create a play about disabled children in Nazi Germany. And musician Ruth Patterson chats about her band Holy Moly and the Crackers. Presented by Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan, produced by Emma Tracey. If you want to contact us email ouch@bbc.co.uk, tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. Rate and review us on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts from, it helps people to find the show. Also, please like us and share our programme on your social media.

NHS mental health director Mandy Stevens joins us on our monthly talk show to discuss being hospitalised for depression herself. She recently posted about it on social media and the unusual "back to the floor" perspective helped it go viral. She's raising awareness about mental health difficulties but what did she learn? US campaigner and podcaster Emily Ladau reviews what's being talked about in disability circles on Facebook and Twitter and blind entrepreneur Amar Latif gives us the lowdown on how to get fit fast. Presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. The producer was Emma Tracey. Get in touch with the show by emailing ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. Please share the programme and head over to iTunes or your preferred podcast service and rate and review us - it helps other people find us who might enjoy and appreciate Ouch.

Katie Cooke is a distance runner who has epilepsy. She runs, she blacks out, then she gets up and continues. Find out why she puts herself through this strain on Ouch's hour-long talk show where she is joined by Lee Ridley, also known as Lost Voice Guy, a comedian who performs using a speech synthesizer on his iPad (pictured here). Presented by Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan, produced by Emma Tracey. If you want to contact us email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. Rate and review us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts from, it helps people to find the show. Also please like us and share our programme on your social media.

On this hour-long show, we meet disabled people living in the Canadian Arctic and the Australian outback. Does cold, ice, snow, heat and remote living mean that these places are too inaccessible for them to function independently? Or do the communities rally-round in different ways to those connected towns and cities where access and independence might seem better? We hook up with a visually impaired couple who live in the icy city of Iqaluit by the Arctic Ocean. And, in remote Australia, we speak to a man in Berrigan who setup a "shed" where men can congregate and talk as they toil, in order to combat isolation and mental health problems. Contributors include: Holly Lane, Kelly MacDonald, Samantha Jenkinson of People with Disabilities WA, Tony Taylor from Men's Shed, Jo Russell, Mike Stopkaand and wife Jenna. With thanks to AMI Audio in Toronto, Canada and 720ABC Perth, Australia. Presenters are Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. The producer was Damon Rose. Get in touch with us and tell us where you are listening to us from and what you do while you listen. email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook. Also, tell your friends about the programme, rate and review us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts - it helps people who would appreciate this programme to find it.

We're talking about siblings, "crip hacks" and trigger warnings on this month's hour-long talk show. (to find a transcript of this podcast, scroll down to the Related Links section on this page) Meet Laura Smith. She's 33 and has a slightly younger sister who has autism, is non-verbal, and also has epilepsy. We take a look at the expectations, the extra worries and mental health difficulties that siblings often experience and what kind of support would be helpful while growing up. If you'd like to join a support group for adult siblings of people with learning disability or autism, or to get support with a sibling issue contact sibs.org.uk - find a link in the related links section on this page. What unexpected items do you carry around with you to assist with those little disability difficulties? Find out how wooden spoons help one woman with cerebral palsy and why tennis balls seem to have so many uses for different disabled people - bit weird really but worth a listen. Emma Tracey has been trawling for your stories. And finally, No Superhero blogger Heather Lacey joins us for her take on disability in social media over the last month. With presenters Simon Minty and Kate Monaghan. The producer is Damon Rose. If you want to get in touch with the programme, email ouch@bbc.co.uk tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook.

On this month's talk show from Ouch: Tilley Milburn had a late diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome which meant she received assistance later than was helpful, and found herself living in a care home. She talks about the comic she has created for disability art group Heart and Soul, her performances and how she sometimes speaks to the world via her toy pig Del. James Leadbitter, also known as artist The Vacuum Cleaner, has struggled with his mental health over time. He returns to the programme to talk about the outcome of the Madlove project where he and collaborator Hannah Hull asked people to send in ideas to help them create the most ideal and healthy psychiatric ward. In a wide-ranging discussion James also talks about having experienced the controversial practice of face-down restraint. Visually impaired YouTube vlogger Holly Scott-Gardner joins us to run through some recent stories which may have weedled their way onto your social media timeline. Presenters: Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. Producer: Emma Tracey. To contact the programme email ouch@bbc.co.uk or tweet @bbcouch - you can also find us on Facebook. Please like, subscribe, share and review us on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform.

Transport for London are trialing a badge which asks travellers to give their seats to passengers with invisible mobility impairments. Alan Benson from campaign organisation Transport For All gives us the background, and we find out what happened when presenter Kate Monaghan wore it on the tube. In Bite Me, a one-woman show about having therapy for bulimia, Joanne McNally ‘s eating disorder physically manifests itself as Louis Walsh. The Dublin-based comedian talks us through the nuts and bolts of the illness and describes her journey from binging and purging all day every day, to being in recovery and sharing the funny side of her “dark” and “scary” experience. Jack Binstead joins us with his social media update, and there’s music by blind singer songwriter Joe Kenny. Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty present.

This programme contains discussions about mental health, halucinations and suicide. If you're not in the right mood to hear it, skip the episode and we'll be back next week with another show. Discussions range from: questionable special school classes on dating etiquette, the lack of disabled emojis, and seeing floating cats which may or may not be real. (a transcript of this programme can be found in the Related Links section on this page) With guests Laurence Clark (comedian with cerebral palsy), Harriet Dyer (a comic who has bipolar and who runs her own club night for comedians with mental health difficulties), and wheelchair usin' Jack Binstead from BBC sitcom Bad Education. Email ouch@bbc.co.uk, tweet @bbcouch or find us on Facebook to be part of the conversation.. Or just tell us what you think of the show. This hour-long show is presented by Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty. The producer was Damon Rose. If any discussions in this programme cause you distress, please reach out to your friends, family or support network. Or you can call Samaritans on 116 123, any time of the day or night for free from mobile or landline phones. It does not show up on any bills. Alternatively you can email jo@samaritans.org

Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty delve in to the complex, and sometimes difficult, area of relationships between disabled and non-disabled siblings. Their guests include a disabled member of a non-disabled family, and the only able-bodied sibling in a family of disabled brothers and sisters. We also hear what it's like to be the non-disabled twin.

Steve Best & Simon Minty talk about the first 7 days with Tanyalee Davis. They talk about all sharing a flat, how the #comedy show is, #disability and #edfringe2015 and shows they want to see.

It's the show before the show! The last podcast before we go to the Edinburgh Festival....Fringe. Hosts Steve Best and Simon Minty talk comedy and performing with actor Caro Sparks and comedian and TV producer (Big Brother, I'm A Celebrity) Jo Coffey. Jo tells us about her return to stand up and a recent moment when she was called something rather strange by a small child, and for the life of her doesn't know why. Caro tells us about the perils of live subtitling Kanye West and we ask, “Do you get a super sense when you lose another, like Daredevil?” Shannon Murray calls from LA with some troublesome news and has found another use for her wheelchair. Plus lots of Edinburgh Festival chat which is where we are all heading soon.

Wheelchair-using politician Anne Begg tells us what she plans to do now she has lost her seat in the House of Commons. Plus an author, a musician, and the autistic character in a computer game With Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty.

This month: Podcaster and rapper Scroobius Pip talks about his speech impediment and how he believes it made him more creative. Plus TV presenter and entrepreneur Sophie Morgan on setting up a high profile accessible members club for disabled gig-goers. Other guests include Blaine Harrison of indie band Mystery Jets, and Jane Powell from CALM, a men's mental health charity. With Kate Monaghan and Simon Minty

Simon Minty and Steve Best are joined by Mat Fraser (American Horror Story; Beauty and the Beast) and Liz Carr (Silent Witness). Liz and Mat used to present a podcast on BBC Ouch, and this is the first time they've been back in the studio together since they moved on. Both are active campaigners but perhaps now more widely known for their artistic work (including television). They speak about how this affects them, with a wisecrack or two along the way. Non-disabled Steve asks if the new RoboCop is a #disabled person, whilst Simon wonders if a #wheelchair is sacred space but a scooter public property (and should you charge if someone wants a ride?). #BBC Radio New Comedy Act 2014 Lost Voice Guy chips in with his thoughts on The Theory of Everything. It's a good one, tune in now. #disability #comedy #humour

This show is dedicated to the memory of Stella Young, 24 February 1982 – 6 December 2014. Abnormally Funny People get out of the studio and in front of a live audience for this special one-off show, recorded on International Day of #Disabled People, 3rd December 2014. We’ve got three mighty guests chipping in with their stories and their wit: TV maker and presenter Paul Carter, world travelling sassy comedian Taynalee Davis and and top comedian/ star of the Barclays cashpoint ads Chris McCausland. For the first time in the #AFPShow there’s some stand up - from Tanyalee, Chris and the fantastically funny Lost Voice Guy. Hosts Steve Best and Simon Minty navigate their way through being asked questions by strangers on the street, eating spaghetti when you have short arms, Christmas shopping when you’re very short yourself and when train assistance gets all a bit too much. We #review three great products: a drinking container where you don’t even have to move to take a slurp, a USB charger which links to your scooter battery and a talking alarm clock. All in front of a live audience. Season’s Greetings from all at Abnormally Funny People. SPECIAL THANKS TO: Barclays production and events team Kat, Steve, Matt, Dieuwer, Louise and Louise Tech support and sound bySaville Audio Visual Photography Keith Dewey Photashoot Social Media Assistance by Rachel Erickson of Narus Productions #disability #comedy #live #london #standup

A warning: this show contains some swearing. It's October 2014 and we're speaking with #comedian Laurence Clark and Jess Thom from Touretteshero. We chat about doing impressions of #disabled people, breaking an egg when you have random motion control, cycling on a child’s tricycle when you’re in your forties and why dignity can be overrated. We review two products, a humane spider catcher and egg cracker. Hosts Steve Best and Simon Minty talk about how it feels to be left out if you’re the one who isn’t disabled and the difference between waving and drowning. At the end we delve a little deeper when Jess talks about the going to the theatre and the rest of the audience don’t know how to relax. #disability #comedy #standup Links: Laurence’s blog when Jess came to see his show http://www.wow247.co.uk/blog/2014/08/10/laurence-clark-my-best-gig-ever/ http://www.laurenceclark.co.uk http://www.touretteshero.com

Hosts Steve Best and Simon Minty try and keep some order as Liam O’Carroll, a blind chap, describes his first impressions when receiving something called a Giddy Bowl; Steve Day, who is deaf, realising that his whispers from the touch line of his son’s football match maybe not so quiet; and Liz Carr, a wheelchair user, is humble about being part of a BBC promotional clip of its stars.

What dodgy photo of Liz appeared on the internet? Why did Simon only get charged half price for his spray tan? An Ian Dury musical, Orpheus project music and more. Liz Carr and Simon Minty present.

We talk to Frank Gardner, the BBC correspondent who became disabled after being shot by Al-Qaeda gunmen. And what's it like at the Little People of America annual get-together? Liz Carr and Simon Minty present.

Simone Milani and Paul Jacobs, two of the contestants from BBC3's brand new disability reality show, Dancing On Wheels, join Mat and Liz with lots of backstage gossip from the programme. Simon Minty takes us through the news. Music is by blind teenaged jazz singer Rocco Fiorentino, who joins by phone from the US for a quick chat, fresh from his cameo appearance on legendary educational kids TV show Sesame Street.

How accessible is Japan? What are wristbows and snapbacks? Meet Scott Watkin, the new Learning Disability Tsar, and we've got Simon Minty with the funny peculiar side of disability news. There's also our quiz Vegetable, Vegetable or Vegetable, music from an unsigned disabled band and more chat, this month on the darker side of crippledom. Presented by Mat Fraser and Liz Carr.