Ability

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

Comedy: Sitcoms

Sitcom about Matt, who has cerebral palsy and can only speak using an app on his tablet.

Sitcom about Matt, who has cerebral palsy and can only speak using an app on his tablet. Co-written by Lee Ridley and Katherine Jakeways.

BBC Radio 4 FM

Ability: Series 4: Girlfriend with Benefits

Girlfriend with Benefits

Series 4

BBC Radio 4 - Ability, Series 4, Girlfriend with Benefits

Matt is worried that Anna is becoming more carer than girlfriend.

Matt has been with his girlfriend Anna for six months now, and is worried that she has all too easily slipped into the role of carer. He sets out to un-blur the lines.

Matt (played by Lee Ridley aka Lost Voice Guy) is 28. He has cerebral palsy and can only speak via an app on his iPad. Everyone who cares about Matt knows that this isn't the defining thing about him. Matt is funny and clever and "up for stuff". 

Matt shares a flat with his best mate, Jess (Sammy Dobson). He has a rubbish carer, Bob (Jason Lewis). And finally, last year, in series 3 Matt met Anna (played by Lisa Hammond). They have loads in common and she is even a wheelchair user so they can share their annoyance and grief and same sense of humour at people's crazy attitudes to disabilities.

Now in series 4 of this award nominated comedy, Matt has been with Anna for six months. They are spending a lot of time at her flat and she is doing all the cooking, even doing his washing and Matt is worried that the line between carer and girlfriend is becoming blurred. But when he starts to try to put things right, without telling Anna why, or what is going on, things come to a head. 

Ability is the semi-autobiographical co-creation of Lee Ridley, who, like Matt, has cerebral palsy and uses his iPad to speak. Producer Jane Berthoud started developing this sitcom with Lee after he won the BBC New Comedy Awards in 2014. Lee later went on the win Britain's Got Talent in 2018. 

The series is set in Newcastle. 
Written by Lee Ridley, Kat Butterfield and Daniel Audritt
A Funnybones production for BBC Radio 4

Ability: Series 4

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Girlfriend with Benefits

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