Ability

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Ability - series 2

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BBC Radio 4 Extra

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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.

Ability: Series 2: Doing a Runner

Doing a Runner

Series 2

BBC Radio 4 - Ability, Series 2, Doing a Runner

Matt, Bob and Jess do a runner from a restaurant - straight into trouble.

Matt and Bob do a runner from a meal, knock down a thief and become heroes. This can’t go well. Stars Lee Ridley. From 2019.

Matt and his carer Bob do a runner from a restaurant.  They knock a thief down in their haste, and are heralded as heroes. 

This can’t turn out well…

Stars Lee Ridley and Allan Mustafa.  

Matt is 25. 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. He is funny and clever and "up for stuff" - partly because he is keen to show that there's nothing he can't do, but also because, if he's honest, he's aware that he's less likely than other people to get the blame.

This second series sees Matt still sharing a flat with his best mate, Jess. He is still in love with her but, much as she likes him, she is still not in love with him. She does however, fancy Matt’s rubbish carer, Bob. Well just a tiny bit anyway. Not that she would ever admit it. After all, Bob is even more lazy and useless at most things than she is.

But Bob is willing. And although domestic duties are not really his forte, he likes Matt and treats him like a real person. And over the last year or so the three of them have been through a lot together - well a lot of drinking and hangovers anyway.

The series is set in Newcastle and many of the cast last played together as children in Biker’s Grove.

Matt ...... Lee Ridley – aka Lost Voice Guy
Bob ...... Allan Mustafa
Jess ...... Sammy Dobson
Matt's Inner Voice ...... Andrew Hayden-Smith

Ability is the semi-autobiographical co-creation of Britain’s Got Talent 2018 winner, Lee Ridley, otherwise known as Lost Voice Guy. Like his sitcom creation, Lee has cerebral palsy and can only speak via an app. Lost Voice Guy is - probably - the first stand up comedian to use a communication aid.

Katherine Jakeways is the co-creator and co-writer of Ability.

A Funny Bones production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2019.

Ability: Series 2

BBC Radio 4

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Matt is still in love with his best mate, Jess, but she is still not in love with him.

In this second series, Matt is still sharing a flat with his best mate, Jess. He is still in love with her but, much as she likes him, she is still not in love with him.

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Series 2

Doing a Runner

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