Today, BAFTA announced TripleC, a gateway organisation that helps deaf, disabled, and neurodiverse people access the arts and media as the recipients of a BAFTA TV Craft Special Award.
Actor Cherylee Houston (Coronation Street) founded TripleC six years ago. Together with a group of friends including Melissa Johns (LIFE, Grantchester), they have built a platform for making the creative screen industry more inclusive. As one of the Academy’s highest honours, BAFTA will present TripleC with the TV Craft Special Award in recognition of their extraordinary work and dedication in improving access and accessibility, connecting organisations, raising awareness around disability issues, and influencing decision makers within the television industry.
Melissa Johns and Cherylee Houston, co-creative leads of TripleC said: “We are thrilled that our organisation TripleC and the work carried out by everyone involved in the company has been recognised by BAFTA. When we set up this organisation 5 years ago, we were just a group of disabled and non-disabled creatives coming together to see if we could make a change. I don’t think we ever knew the size of impact that that seed of an organisation would have on the lives of so many deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent creatives. From work in schools with disabled children and young people to the leap in career development and employment of disabled artists throughout the industry. This is just the start of the journey. Our industry is changing for the better and we can’t wait to fully show the world the talent that’s in it. The recognition from BAFTA will support our drive for change and help ensure accessibility and inclusivity is high up on every agenda.”
Sara Putt, Chair of BAFTA’s Television Committee and Deputy Chair of BAFTA said: “We are delighted to be honouring TripleC with this year’s Craft Special Award, in recognition of their outstanding achievements within the television industry. Cherylee and Melissa have used their platform for deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent creatives in the arts and have gone above and beyond to improve access, opportunities, and representation. While there is still a long way to go, TripleC’s creative approach has had a significant impact on BAFTA, I’m thrilled that we are giving them the spotlight and I am eager to see what the next few years of our industry will look like as a result.”
Previous recipients of the BAFTA TV Craft Special Award include joint founding directors of The Farm Group, Nicky Sargent and Vikki Dunn, script supervisor Emma Thomas, the production team behind Game of Thrones, prop-master Bobby Warans and Casting director Nina Gold.
This year’s BAFTA TV Craft Awards will return to The Brewery as an in-person ceremony on Sunday 24 April and will be hosted by actor, comedian and TV presenter Mel Giedroyc.
Mel Giedroyc said: “I am absolutely delighted to be hosting this year’s BAFTA Television Craft Awards. I really love this ceremony as it’s such a great opportunity to celebrate those in our television industry who have made fabulous TV shows over the last year. It’s exciting that it’s back at The Brewery and it’s going to be great fun.”
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For further information:
Charlotte Prentice at Multitude Media
T 07969959037
Notes to Editors:
Photography is available at https://bafta.thirdlight.com/link/BAFTAPressImages/@/folder/10
To register your interest in attending the red carpet of the BAFTA TV Craft Awards on 24 April or to gain access for a media viewing link to watch from home please contact [email protected]
To apply for media accreditation for the Virgin Media BAFTA TV Awards on 8 May visit www.bafta.org/media-centre/accreditation – the deadline is 23:59 on Monday 25 April 2022. Please note that we anticipate high demand for access to the media areas and capacity is strictly limited. Prior accreditation is mandatory. Please note that applications received after the deadline of 23:59 on Monday 25 April 2022 will not be considered.
All applicants will receive confirmation of whether their request for accreditation has been successful by Friday 29 April 2022.
The Virgin Media BAFTA TV Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday 8 May, hosted by Richard Ayoade.
The full nominations for this year’s awards can be found here.
Follow BAFTA’s social channels @BAFTA.
