A MAN from south-east Cornwall who is behind Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympics is hoping that more disabled people will be inspired to take part in accessible sports through the Paris Games.
Joe Blake-Turner is Commissioning Editor for the broadcaster’s sports coverage and oversees everything from Formula One highlights to extensive Paralympic coverage.
The 45-year-old is himself classed as disabled as he has a spinal disorder which only emerged in more recent years, which in part prompted a move out of London to Pillaton, near Saltash.
Although he can walk, Joe is a player and trustee for West Country Hawks wheelchair rugby club, which trains every week at the Life Centre, in Plymouth.
He was emboldened to embrace the opportunity of taking part in wheelchair rugby through being involved behind-the-scenes in C4’s Paralympic coverage.
“It’s one of the main reasons I joined Channel 4,” he said. “When I first joined, we had the Formula One and the Paralympics and that was it.
“When I joined, Channel Four’s Paralympics coverage is right up there, and so I came to C4 really excited to work on that.
“I have a brother with a disability, so it meant something more to me as well, but then I came to the realisation that actually I am disabled as well. Everyone’s journey with disability is different, and I was unaware of my underlying conditions for most of my life, but then around 2012 I started having some issues.
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