David Proud | Writer

David Proud | Writer

David always enjoyed performing as a child, but didn’t see how he could make a career out of it. Born with spinal bifida, he says that acting was a way to step outside of himself and inhabit someone else’s life for a while, but a lack of role models meant he didn’t believe this was a sustainable career. Nonetheless, he secured a part on children’s drama Desperados before working with Billie Piper on Secret Diary of a Call Girl. His big break came playing EastEnders villain Adam Best, which changed his life overnight - he had to be escorted out of Clinton’s by security the next day because he was attracting so much attention!

After leaving EastEnders, David decided to focus on his love of writing. He was excited to take a role in the writer’s room at Coronation Street, where he particularly enjoys writing dialogue for Steve McDonald and Kevin Webster, and still gets a kick out of penning scenes set in the Rovers. This job is special to him for many reasons, not least because he says is treated just as a writer, not as a “disabled writer”.

David says it’s surreal to be recognised by BAFTA, in a standout year for soaps. He believes the industry is starting to become more inclusive, but says it’s time for disabled artists to take ownership of their own authentic stories. As his career develops, he aims to change the world’s perception of disability through entertaining, thought-provoking scripts.  

David’s Breakthrough credit is TV series Coronation Street (ITV)

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