Jane Garvey interviews Years and Years actress Ruth Madeley about upcoming BBC Two drama Then Barbara Met Alan. The film, set in the late 80s, focuses on the true story of two activists (played by Ruth Madeley and Arthur Hughes) at an important turning point in the campaign for disabled civil rights. At its heart, it’s a love story.
Garvey asks Madeley how much she knew about the Disability Action Network (a grassroots network aimed at creating a more inclusive environment). Madeley discusses the impact the activist group DAN had on British social history, working alongside Liz Carr and how – if she could change one thing in 2022 – it would be “for everywhere to be accessible”.
The film explores the price you pay for being at the forefront of activist action – and Madeley reveals how the laws that protected her as a young adult came into being thanks to the plight of Barbara and Allen.
What else can I expect from episode 27?
Resident TV critic Rhianna Dhillon joins Jane Garvey to mark our cards for the week ahead. They review Amazon Prime’s Master, Channel 4’s The Simpler Life and Netflix’s Bad Vegan.
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