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Cerrie Burnell explores disability history in BBC documentary Silenced: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain

Silenced: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain explores the dark side to the fight for equality

Cerrie Burnell has become one of the most prolific disabled presenters in the country in recent years.

Her new BBC documentary, Silenced: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain takes an in-depth look at how much change still needs to happen.

“People had been campaigning since the 60s to have the right to choose where to live or how to dress or to have a relationship or to have children or to get to keep those children,” she told The Guardian.

“All of those things had been taken away from us.”

But what else is there it know about the TV star?

Cerrie Burnell rose to fame as a CBeebies presenter (Credit: BBC)

Who is Cerrie Burnell?

Claire “Cerrie” Burnell was born August 30, 1979 in England.

She was born with a right arm that ends just below her elbow.

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Her parents encouraged her to wear a prosthetic arm, but she was always against the idea.

By age 9, she had proudly stopped wearing one altogether.

The TV presenter has a daughter, Amelie, who was born in 2008. She’s raising Amelie as a single parent.

Cerrie’s time on the channel was marred by controversy (Credit: BBC)

What is Cerrie Burnell famous for?

Cerrie studied acting at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Her big break came in 2009, when she joined CBeebies as a presenter.

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However, her role on the channel initially caused controversy among viewers. Some parents complained that Cerrie’s appearance was “scaring” their children.

The BBC stood by the star, and she remained with the channel until April 2017.

Cerrie has a new documentary (Credit: BBC)

What else has Cerrie starred in?

Cerrie doesn’t just work as a presenter.

She has appeared in numerous UK TV shows.

Viewers may have seen her in Holby City, EastEnders, Grange Hill, The Bill and Comedy Lab.

Not only that, but Cerrie is now an author too.

She wrote children’s novel Winged – A Fairytale, a play about Violet, a one-winged fairy in a London inner city fairy community.

When she’s not busy writing books and acting on television, she has also been a teaching assistant in a special needs school.

Silenced: The Hidden story of Disabled Britain is on BBC iPlayer (Credit: BBC)

Where can I watch Silenced: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain?

Cerrie’s BBC Two documentary explores why so many disabled people have felt as though they have been ostracised from society.

It also documents the disabled community’s battle for equal rights, and finds that there’s still much more to be done until that’s achieved.

Silenced: The Hidden Story of Disabled Britain is on BBC Two Tuesday at 9pm.

It will be available to watch on iPlayer after its aired. 

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