THE BIBLE on Five and Accessible
Channel 5 will – after all – provide audio description for the broadcast of its epic mini-series THE BIBLE which starts on November 30th.
Audio description (identified ‘AD’ in TV guides) is an additional commentary describing body language, expressions and movements. Subtitles have been included from the outset so accessibility for disabled people should be good.
CfA Executive Officer (and Torch Trust CEO) Dr Gordon Temple has been lobbying the TV company to think about the needs of blind and partially sighted people since the announcement of the series earlier this month. Initially their response was a disappointing ‘no’ – and Dr Temple describes this last-minute turnaround as ‘an amazing answer to prayer.’
Martin Stott, Head of Corporate & Regulatory Affairs at Channel 5, said, ‘There are many demands from blind and partially sighted viewers for us to audio describe the programmes they like. I’m afraid it is simply not possible to audio describe them all … THE BIBLE was not originally included among the list of programmes to be audio described. We have now reconsidered the merits of this, and have decided that we will audio describe the series after all. So I can now confirm to you that all five episodes of The Bible will carry audio description.’
‘I’m so grateful to Channel 5 for their change of heart,’ said Dr Temple. ‘Now blind and partially sighted people will be able to really get into this marvellous mini-series.’
The Damaris Trust has produced an excellent Souvenir Guide to support the series and Torch Trust has reproduced the text of this guide in braille, large/giant print and audio formats for people with sight loss. Contact Torch Client Services on 01858 438260 or email info@torchtrust.org is you wish to obtain an accessible copy for yourself or someone you know who would benefit from it.